


Pokémon: Dust

by Ethan_Dust



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pokemon - Fandom
Genre: Adventure, Friendship, Gen, Self-Insert
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-29
Updated: 2020-11-25
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:00:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 50,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24980461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ethan_Dust/pseuds/Ethan_Dust
Summary: Ethan was on a weekend excursion when a mysterious voice and a supernatural incident landed him in the Pokémon world. With no way back home in sight, Ethan, along with his new friend, Eevee, will set out on a journey to try and find why he was brought here. Living his childhood dream is just a bonus. SI-OC
Comments: 118
Kudos: 119
Collections: Not to be misplaced





	1. The Beginning, Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all, I've been wanting to write for a while and I finally put this plot bunny on paper! This is my first work, Pokémon: Dust. I've been doing research and fact-checking for months to hopefully bring out my take on the Pokémon world.
> 
> Please note, the Ethan in this story is not the same Ethan/Gold from Gen2, but is my SI-OC.
> 
> Thanks for clicking and please read and review when you're done.

**Chapter 1**

**The Beginning, Part 1**

Ethan collapsed on the shore, soaking wet and gasping for air. A column of unnaturally bright light from the lake he pulled himself from grabbed his attention. The hole or portal or whatever it was that brought him here started to shrink.

Still catching his breath, Ethan let his head fall back to the ground as he organized his muddled thoughts. Right now, he was… where? Not even a few moments ago, he had been leading a youth group in an exploration of the lava tubes in Snow Canyon State Park. They had made plans months ago to explore the caves.

* * *

_Moments ago…_

Sections of the narrow tunnel Ethan and his group traversed were cramped, only allowing them to crouch through in a single file line. During a break to rest their legs and rehydrate, Ethan scouted the next portion of the cave. When he reached the next fork, he consulted the guidebook that the park rangers had given him to confirm his location and which path to take. Satisfied, he turned around to fetch his companions when he noticed a light shining from the other path.

_That's odd,_ Ethan thought, _we should be the only ones down here._ After pocketing the guidebook, he placed a reflective marker on the wall of the path, adjusted his hard hat and headlamp, and descended farther to investigate the light. He continued to place markers every fifteen or so paces so he could find his way back later.

_We're too far below the surface for that to be sunlight. I'm not sure what else that could be if it's not another person,_ Ethan thought. As he got closer to the light, he decided to call out, "Hello? Is anyone there?" His words echoed down the cave, carrying his soft-spoken voice. After a moment, he continued forward.

A couple of minutes later, the cave opened up into a large cavern. Ethan found the source of the light, but what he saw confused him. The smooth, rocky ground of the cave was glowing a bright yellow. _Could this be phosphorescent rock? No, phosphorescent rock needs to absorb light to emit any kind of light,_ Ethan thought. He took out his phone and took a picture to show his group and the park rangers later to ask about it. This definitely wasn't in the guidebook.

Being the curious man he was, Ethan took a stone and tossed it on the ground a fair distance in front of him. The rock skipped a few times until it settled. Nothing remarkable happened.

"Mr. Dust, where'd you go?"

"Dude, you get lost?"

Crap. He'd been away for too long. "TJ, grab the others and follow my markers. You need to see this!" Ethan yelled back. His friend would take a few minutes to gather everyone and arrive.

A shadow of something on the opposite wall of the cavern caught Ethan's attention. Curious, he walked over, not seeing that the light of the floor parted around his steel-toed boots. Once he got closer, the object of interest appeared to be a depiction of a massive tree. Near the base of the tree, there was a crude drawing of three large humanoid-like figures. He slowly took in the details, noting the many different creatures drawn in and around the tree. Near the top, a feline with disproportionately long feet and a long, bulbous ended tail was depicted.

_Huh, that kind of looks like Mew,_ Ethan mused. _But who would have the time or commitment to come down here just to carve something few would ever see?_ Ethan took a few pictures of the drawing then tucked his phone away in his backpack.

Ethan admired the carving a moment longer before heading back to the mouth of the cavern. Halfway there, he froze mid-step when the ground shook, and a boom sounded as something gave way farther underground. He shielded his eyes as the glow from the cavern floor intensified, and a loud hum accompanied the blinding light.

"The hell?" Ethan yelled, beginning to panic. Suddenly, the floor around him dimmed to a calm blue, and the humming stopped. Ethan lowered his arm, able to see again. It was as if time had stopped. He saw TJ and the others just beyond the mouth of the cavern, unnaturally still.

"What the hell is going on?" Ethan whispered. His group still hadn't moved from their spot. The air seemed still, and the only sounds he could hear were his breathing and the ringing in his ears from his mild tinnitus.

" **WHAT THINKEST THOU? WILL THIS ONE BE SUFFICIENT?** " A strong voice reverberated from seemingly everywhere. Ethan's shoulders tensed, and he pivoted on his feet, trying to locate who spoke. Sufficient? What the hell was this voice talking about?

The air around Ethan grew heavy, making it difficult to breathe. He fell to his hands and knees, hard hat rolling to the side before settling with the headlamp casting his shadow on the cavern wall. He suddenly felt weak and unable to support his weight. His mind grew fuzzy, and he couldn't form a coherent thought.

After what felt like hours, the pressure subsided, and Ethan breathed heavily. Another powerful yet softer voice responded to the last one's query. " **YES, THIS ONE WILL DO.** "

With that declaration, the earth shook once more. The barely coherent Ethan screamed, stomach rising to his throat as the ground crumbled and gave way, thrusting him down into a dark void, the only source of light coming from a headlamp illuminating an otherwise dark cavern wall.

* * *

_Present time…_

… _I heard voices, I fell, and now my only way of getting back is about to – oh scheiss!_ Ethan quickly stood and ran for the column of light. He was knee-deep in the water when a bout of light-headedness hit, causing him to trip.

"No, no, NO!" Ethan cried, getting back up and treading through the water. He was too late, though, as the hole in the lake's surface closed. A shockwave rippled across the water, creating waves that overtook him and carried him back to shore.

Ethan rolled himself onto his stomach and forcefully expelled the water that made its way into his nose, grateful that he didn't breathe in any of the liquid. "And the day started off so well," he muttered to himself. What was it those voices had said before? That he would do? Would do for what?

Ethan decided to file that thought in the 'figure out later' pile in his mind. There was no use thinking about something if he didn't have a way to get an answer. He took some deep, steadying breaths to calm himself. He was alone in a place he didn't know, and panicking wouldn't help.

_First order of business: figure out where I am,_ Ethan decided. He scanned the area around him. There was the lake he just came from, the water slowly calming back down. There appeared to be a natural ramp heading upwards, and a tunnel opening behind him. Looking up, he could see the cavernous ceiling and sunlight filtering in through gaps in the rocky wall-

_Wait, sunlight?_ He set his backpack on the ground and pulled out his phone, shaking off some droplets of water that clung to the screen. After unlocking it, he checked to see if he had cell service or a gps signal. 'No signal' was the only thing that greeted him.

"What did I expect? AT&T has crap reception," Ethan muttered. As he put his phone away, he noticed the ringing in his ears and realized it was eerily quiet. _There should at least be insects or other wildlife. This place is perfect for them,_ he thought. _Maybe I scared them off?_

Deciding that he would get nowhere standing around, he started for the tunnel opening. Before he got far, the earth began to shake, and Ethan froze, fixing his gaze on the ground. "Oh scheiss, not again!" he cried.

Instead of the ground falling out from under him like he was half-expecting, a large hole opened up a short distance in front of him, blocking the path to the tunnel. A spinning figure launched from the new opening and landed in front of it, causing the earth to shake again and make Ethan lose his footing. He sat up, pulled his glasses from his pocket, and put them on.

Ethan couldn't believe what he was seeing. Standing there, a body made entirely of rock and clay, was a realistic-looking Regirock.

_Uhh, am I dreaming?_ Ethan pinched himself and flinched. _Okay, probably not dreaming. Why did I have to pinch so – Is that a hyper beam?!_

Ethan rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding receiving a hole in his chest. "What was that for?! I didn't do anything to deserve _that_!" he yelled.

Regirock just beeped and charged another attack.

Ethan didn't need more prompting than that. He hopped to his feet and ran in the direction of the ramp he spotted earlier, adrenaline pumping through his veins and sharpening his senses. Another hyper beam from the Rock Peak Pokémon went wide, missing Ethan entirely.

_This just isn't my day_ , Ethan thought to himself as he made his way up the ramp and out of sight.

* * *

A young kit sat, taking in the view of the craggy terrain below and the setting sun to the west. She breathed in the crisp, cold air through her nose, taking in all the scents that the wind carried. She liked living here. There was plenty of food, clean water, and she had shelter; Everything she could need.

She sighed and lay her head on her front paws, staring at the ground. She came to this same spot every day, mulling over the idea of leaving her home to go and find the adventure her young heart yearned for. She had heard from some of the elder Pokémon here that there were creatures out there called 'hoomans' that weren't Pokémon. They went on journeys to train Pokémon and had lots of adventures.

She wouldn't mind being trained by a hooman if they were friendly and could make her stronger. She loved battling, but most of the Pokémon living here preferred their boring, peaceful lives. Not many would indulge her when she wanted to battle.

She came out of her thoughts as the sun disappeared behind the horizon. She closed her eyes and made a wish that she could find a hooman to befriend and go with on plenty of adventures.

When she felt she had wished long enough, she opened her eyes and stood. She stretched each of her legs and yawned, then departed for her den to rest for the night.

* * *

As Ethan ran, a few thoughts came to his mind. First, running in wet clothes and boots sucks. The higher he climbed, the cooler it became, and the colder he got, despite the adrenaline staving off the worst of it.

Second, there were Pokémon everywhere! He couldn't spare a thought to identify them, but he spotted them at the edge of his vision.

His third thought was how unlucky he was to have drawn the attention of both a Regice and Registeel. What's next, Regieleki and Regidrago? The Sword and Shield expansions hadn't come out yet, so he had no idea what they were capable of. He just hoped they wouldn't show up.

It got dark, and the only light came from glowing blue crystals that were seemingly everywhere. How he had not noticed them before was a question Ethan was too preoccupied to ask himself right now.

_They sure love their hyper beams. Glad they can't hit a moving target,_ Ethan thought as he ducked under another one. Ethan hadn't been able to get by completely untouched. He had bruises forming on the unprotected parts of his body. His clothes were torn in places, either getting caught on rocky outcroppings or the debris that nicked him from the hyper beams exploding around him.

Ethan came to another fork and took the path to the right, hoping, like every other path he took, that this one wouldn't come to a dead end. Thankfully, he could see an opening at the end of the tunnel. When he emerged, he was greeted by the twilight from the set sun. He stopped, looked down, and saw how high he was.

_Not good. If I keep going up, I'm going to get cornered,_ Ethan frantically thought as he breathed heavily and wiped the sweat away from his eyes. _But I don't know my way around here, and the Regi's are blocking the only way down that I know. I didn't bring any rappelling equipment because I didn't think I'd be chased up this Arceus-forsaken place in an alternate dimension!_

Ethan paused. _Wow, I'm already using Pokémon swears._

"Vee?"

Ethan nearly jumped off the edge, nerves frayed from his current situation. He turned around and met the eyes of a fox-like creature standing at just over a foot tall from its front paws to the top of its head. It had two long, brown ears angled back, big green eyes, a thick white mane, brown fur, and a tail with a white heart-shaped pattern on the end of it. "Eev eevee!?" it – she said as she backpedaled, startled by Ethan's sudden movement.

"S-sorry little Eevee, I can't talk right now. I'm kind of running for my-" was all Ethan could say before Registeel burst through the opening of the tunnel he exited moments ago. Ethan bolted past the eevee as Registeel fired a hyper beam. Eevee yipped in surprise and avoided the attack meant for Ethan, then ran in the same direction and shot past him.

Another hyper beam fired by Registeel went high and missed its target. The shot, however, hit a rocky overhang, and debris rained down.

"Eevee! Above you!" Ethan called out. Eevee looked up and stopped, frozen in fear.

_Verdammt, Eevee!_ Ethan put on a burst of speed, not knowing where the energy to do so came from, and grabbed Eevee by her thick mane, narrowly avoiding the worst of the falling debris. He wished he still had his hard hat. "D-don't worry. I got ya!" Ethan winced as he deposited her into his arms.

His adrenaline was starting to wear off, and Ethan knew he wouldn't be able to run for much longer. He needed a break, but the Regi trio was relentless. He had no idea how he had managed to run so hard for as long as he had. He had never pushed himself this hard in all of his twenty-six years. Then again, his life never depended on it.

Seeing that he had lost his pursuers for the moment, he slowed to a stop and sat down to catch his breath. He set the eevee down and opened his canteen to drink the last of the water he had. Eevee pawed Ethan's leg to get his attention.

"Wh-what's up, Eevee?" Ethan coughed through gritted teeth, most of his body in pain from over-exertion.

"Eev… vee eevee…" Eevee mumbled before she jumped into his chest and shook, sobbing into his torn, dirty jacket.

Ethan, unsure of what to do, lifted a shaky hand and patted her a few times on the head, saying in a soft voice, "It's okay, I'm scared too. But you'll be alright."

That seemed to be the right thing to do, as Eevee's sobs turned into hiccups as she calmed down. She then tilted her head as if asking him something.

"Honestly, I don't know if I'm going to make it. It seems like the Regi's _really_ don't want me to be here. I don't even know how I got here in the first place! Hell, I don't even know where I am!" Ethan growled before deflating. "I just want to go home."

Eevee pulled her ears back, surprised by the outburst. Ethan sighed and covered his eyes, wiping away the tears before they could form. "You're not safe with me, Eevee. If you stay with me, the Regi's might target you too. You should run while you have the chance." Ethan shakily pushed himself up and shouldered his pack.

"I'm going to keep moving. If they find me, I don't want you to risk dying with me," Ethan said. The ground shook with the thuds of heavy footfall. Ethan stiffened before turning to Eevee. "Go! Get out of here!" he yelled, pointing a finger in the opposite direction from where he was running.

* * *

Eevee hid behind a rock as the strange two-legged creature that had saved her life ran off. The elemental golems shortly after entered the room and exchanged a few beeps between them before splitting up and going down different tunnels to search for the intruder.

Eevee thought about what had just happened. The creature saved her life and comforted her when she needed it, and even put her safety before its own. Eevee set her face in a determined frown. She would not let the one who saved her life be killed by the guardians. She wasn't strong enough to stop them, but she knew who was. With a plan in mind, she ran off, determined to save her new friend.

* * *

Ethan was reaching his limit. Then again, he had thought that several times already and managed to keep going. His clothes had mostly dried now, making it a little easier to run. He could feel the blisters forming on his feet, which the water from his earlier dip in the lake only made worse.

The air was thinning, making it harder to breathe. Fortunately, Ethan hadn't been found yet, so he was trying to keep at a pace he could maintain, which wasn't much more than a brisk walk. This didn't ease him at all. He was on high alert, scanning the area around him for threats.

Ethan was tired, hungry, and thirsty. His entire body was struggling, and his focus waned. As if to prove this was the case, one of his feet tripped over the other, and he fell forward, letting out a yelp. He covered his face as he hit the floor, letting out a groan of pain.

… _Need rest,_ Ethan begrudgingly thought. He pushed himself onto his knees, crawled over to the nearest wall, and propped himself against it.

_I have one hell of a headache,_ Ethan remarked as he tilted his neck to one side, then the other, getting a few satisfying pops. Reaching into a pocket in his cargo jeans, he pulled out an energy bar and bit off one end.

As he chewed, he took time to think about things that he put on hold before. He was in the Pokémon world! This is every Pokémon fan's dream, but he was actually here. True, his experience so far had been less than stellar, but it was still amazing to think about. Which Pokémon world was he in, though? Mystery Dungeon? Anime? Games? Manga?

Was he in a Mystery Dungeon? _Nope, still human_ , he thought as he took another bite. He couldn't remember any places like this in the games, and he only knew bits and pieces of what happened in the manga. This _could_ be the anime. He was sure he had seen crystals like these in the anime before, but his tired mind was drawing up a blank.

Ethan finished his energy bar and pocketed the wrapper. No need to litter here. He didn't need to give his pursuers a real reason, however small, to chase after him.

_Oh right, life's still in danger._

Ethan tried to push himself up, but his arms failed him, and he sat back down. His entire body was shaking from the full brunt of his adrenaline crash. He couldn't move. If he died, he would die here.

Ethan raised his hand and touched a nearby glowing crystal, feeling its smooth surface. As he touched it, he felt a sense of calm wash over him, as if assuring him that everything would be alright.

* * *

Ethan's eyes snapped open as he felt the thuds of footsteps grow closer. It didn't feel like he had been out for long, maybe a few minutes at most. The thudding stopped, and Ethan met the cold, indifferent gazes of Regirock, Regice, and Registeel.

The Regi's beeped amongst themselves before charging their attacks. Ethan closed his eyes and shed a tear. At least he'd be able to see his friend and family again in the next life.

"Don't give up. Not now."

Ethan opened his eyes. In place of his pursuers was a man. The man seemed ethereal, but his features stood out well enough. He had blue eyes and spiked dark blue hair under his hat. He wore a dark cape that went down to his ankles, grey clothing with a simple blue tunic, and blue boots laced halfway up his shin.

"Wh-who are you?" Ethan asked, feeling a sense of familiarity.

The man smiled. "I am just a friend, but that's not important now. Your time is not yet up. You still have things to do. You're in this world for a reason. You are here to lend a hand in changing the fates of many in this world."

The man leaned down and extended a hand to Ethan. "Take my hand. I will awaken the potential that lies within you. You might not need it, but it'll help."

Confused and knowing he had nothing to lose, Ethan took the proffered hand. When the man let go, Ethan didn't feel any different than he had before. He arched an eyebrow at the man, who only offered a kind smile. "Good luck, Ethan."

Ethan blinked, and the Regi trio was back where they were before the strange vision. Ethan closed his eyes as the trio fired their attacks. The pain Ethan was expecting to feel never came. Cracking his eyelids open, he was astonished to see that the attacks had been stopped by what looked to be a radiant pink barrier.

… _Someone saved me?_

_Yep!_

Ethan startled out of his musing. That last thought wasn't his. He looked up to see a floating pink-furred feline with its paws extended. The defining detail that Ethan could see was a long tail with a bulbous tip.

Mew giggled, _You're funny! I like you._ Mew let the barrier fade when the attacks ended. _The human is with me now! Go back to your posts,_ Mew said, shooing them away.

The trio just stood there, unmoving, and Mew sighed. _Execute function: addFriend–input: this human._ The lights on the Regi's faces blinked in seemingly random patterns, processing the request before leaving.

Ethan, having had enough excitement for one day, promptly fell over and passed out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Please remember to review and tell me what you liked and what could be improved.
> 
> I'm not sure what I'll have as far as an update schedule. I already have the next chapter finished, but I want to write another arc or two before publishing so I have time to polish it up and let it sit.
> 
> Discord Code: FNh6A3e
> 
> Published: June 29, 2020.
> 
> Updated: February 21, 2021, Grammar corrections, improved readability, and the like.


	2. The Beginning, Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I didn't expect this story to blow up like it did. It reached 51 followers over on fanfiction in its first week!
> 
> I realize I never set a syntax guide last chapter, so here it is:  
> "Damn it, Eevee!" - Normal Speech  
>  _"What?"_ \- Translated Pokémon Speech  
>  _I need therapy_ \- Thoughts/Telepathy
> 
> I'll add more to the syntax guide when I get to a chapter that uses new syntax.
> 
> Please enjoy this chapter.

**Chapter 2**

**The Beginning, Part 2**

The first thing that greeted Ethan as he awoke was the soreness in his everything. Groaning, he made to sit up but stopped when he felt a warm, soft weight on his chest. He opened his eyes and discovered a bundle of brown and cream-colored fur taking in slow, even breaths.

It took a moment for him to jumpstart his brain before making the connection between the sleeping fox on his chest and the previous day's events.

 _Right… I wound up in another dimension, incurred the unprovoked wrath of three super-powered Minecraft golems, and saved an eevee that the Detective Pikachu movie didn't do justice,_ he recalled, then sighed. _I'm probably, no, definitely going to need therapy._

Ethan focused on the Evolution Pokémon again, the corner of his lip curving upward. It didn't matter what universe he was in; if an animal is sleeping on you, you do not move from your spot. You are stuck until they move off you. _I guess I need to add Pokémon to that unwritten rule,_ he mused.

It wasn't much longer before the sun climbed over the mountains to the east, its light shining on Eevee's dozing form. Eevee yawned cutely, her small, white, pointed canines catching the light. She licked a paw and began to groom the messy fur on her head.

"Hey, Eevee? I know I'm comfortable, but I'd like to get up," Ethan joked. "Did you sleep well?"

Eevee's eyes shot open, and she pounced, assaulting the human's face and ears with aggressive licks and excited yips.

Ethan both laughed and winced, fruitlessly trying to protect his face from the onslaught of cuteness. "Stop that, Eevee, please," he begged. He slowly struggled to push himself into a sitting position, causing Eevee to fall into his lap. He brought up a hand to pet Eevee between her ears. After a moment, Eevee decided she liked the contact and leaned into his touch, purring contentedly.

"You're pretty friendly. Thanks for keeping me warm. Now, where am I?" Ethan asked.

"Eev-vee, eevee!" Eevee replied, puffing out her chest.

"…I hate to burst your bubble, but humans don't understand Pokémon speech," Ethan told the proud eevee.

Eevee blinked and tilted her head, a broad smile still on her face.

Ethan chuckled, " _I'm_ a human, Eevee. _I_ can't understand Pokémon speech," he elaborated.

If Ethan had a camera–wait, he did! He grabbed the pack at his side, took out his phone, and opened the camera app to capture Eevee's expression. Her green eyes had somehow gotten bigger, her ears straigtened, and her jaw would have hit the floor and continued through if it could. _That's my new lock screen photo for sure,_ Ethan decided.

Eevee was in awe; her new friend was a hooman! Eevee thanked Jirachi for making her wish come true.

Ethan booped Eevee on the nose to get her attention. She came out of her trance and sneezed, rapidly shaking her head from side to side. Ethan chuckled and put on the most genuine smile that had graced his lips in a long time. _I still can't believe I'm with an actual eevee! A Pokémon!_ he thought.

"Eevee, do you know where Mew is?" Ethan asked. "I need to talk with them." He figured if he were going to make any sort of progress getting out of here and back home, Mew would be a great place to start. Plus, he had questions.

"Eevee!" Eevee nodded, rolled off his lap, and ran to a nearby tunnel. She stopped and looked back at him expectantly. "Eev? Eevee!" She called, prancing in place.

"Okay, I'm coming. Just… give me a moment to get up," Ethan replied. He slowly stood up, grimacing as he did so. He shouldered his pack, adjusted his glasses, and followed the impatient eevee.

* * *

Eevee stopped at a spring to drink, and Ethan took the opportunity to quench his thirst, refill his canteen, and wash the dirt, blood, and sweat off his face and hands. The scabs on his feet reopened, and Ethan took the opportunity to clean then wrap them with antiseptic gauze from his first-aid kit, which thankfully didn't soak through. With his immediate needs fulfilled, his mind was free to wander while he followed Eevee, who was humming an unfamiliar, upbeat tune.

He didn't need or want to think about the legendary Pokémon that had been hunting him down. That was in the past, and he'd prefer it stay there, though he couldn't help but glance around nervously. The first question on his mind concerned where he was. Now that he could think a little more clearly, he had a pretty good idea of his location. Mew and the Regi trio were here, there were glowing blue crystals everywhere he looked, and he had spotted some lileep, anorith, and a few other curious Pokémon among the local population before they hid from view. He would confirm his suspicions with Mew later.

He thought back to the vision he had had before Mew rescued him. That was another thing that made him sure of where he was. The man he had seen had to be Sir Aaron from the Lucario and the Mystery of Mew movie. The man didn't have the auratic gloves, but he supposed that made sense. Aaron _did_ take them off before he died. If this _is_ the anime world, then he had an idea of how he might be able to get a bearing of _when_ he was.

The final question on his mind, one he still couldn't answer, was 'why.' Why was he here? He knew now he wasn't here by accident. The voices said he 'would do', and Aaron told him that he would help change the fates of many in this world.

Well, Ethan figured, if he were supposed to do something specific, then whatever forces brought him here would shepherd him where they wanted him.

As Ethan and Eevee walked around another corner, Ethan's thoughts turned to home. If coming here had to happen to him, he was grateful he never married or had any children to leave behind. He wasn't very close to any of his siblings, though he would miss his young nieces and nephews.

The pandemic back home had made it difficult to find a job as a fresh college graduate. Everyone seemed to want three to five years of industry experience for an entry-level position or six years of experience in a technology that was only four or five years old. Ethan was forced to move back in with his aging parents when money became tight. They welcomed him with open arms and offered to help with whatever he needed.

 _Gotta stay optimistic. Nothing good comes from being a pessimist… most of the time anyway,_ Ethan thought to himself, rubbing his temples. He had a headache, which had only been growing since he woke up earlier. This wasn't anything too unusual for him. He was used to dealing with migraines.

"Hey, Eevee? I just realized I never told you my name," Ethan told his companion. Eevee stopped her humming and looked up at him, head tilted to one side.

"Eev? Eevee vee eev?" Eevee asked.

Ethan took a guess at what she said and replied, "My name is Ethan. It's what my friends and family call me. A name is a word that someone gives you to distinguish you from everyone else."

Eevee considered this and nodded. "Vee, Eeveev," she said.

 _Is my name in eevee-speak Eeveev? It's kind of endearing,_ Ethan smiled. "You're pretty smart. Do you have a name, or are you just called Eevee?" Ethan asked.

"Eevee," Eevee replied.

"Wait, which one?"

"Eevee!"

Ethan sighed, "Never mind. I'll just call you Eevee for now." Eevee laughed and nodded her assent. "I've got another question for you. You've grown up as a wild Pokémon all your life, right?" Ethan asked.

A nod was her response.

"You've never seen a human before you met me?"

Another nod.

"Then how do you understand what I'm saying?"

Eevee paused, face scrunched up in thought, a frown on her muzzle.

After a moment, she shrugged and resumed walking.

"I guess it's just one of the many mysteries of Pokémon," Ethan quietly mumbled to himself, adjusting his pack and pushing his glasses back into position.

* * *

It was another ten minutes of walking before Eevee came to a halt before the exit of the tunnel she had led Ethan through. Ethan had been intrigued as he watched the rocky, grainy wall of the tunnel gradually transition into crystal that was smooth to the touch.

"Eeveev."

Ethan turned to face Eevee, who sat down and pointed a paw at Ethan before moving it to point at the exit. "Is this the place?" Ethan asked.

Eevee nodded and repeated the last gesture, pointing at him and then back to the tunnel exit.

"I have to go in alone?"

Eevee nodded again.

"Eevee eev eev." Eevee looked down and patted the ground with her front paws, then looked back at Ethan expectantly.

"And... you'll wait for me here. Is that right?" She nodded again, pleased that she was so good at charades.

Ethan unshouldered his pack and set it down next to the beaming eevee. He rolled his shoulders to work out some of the tension that had built up. "Watch my bag for me while I'm gone, please. Thanks!" Ethan requested before turning and leaving the tunnel.

Eevee sniffed the pack and cautiously swatted one of the straps, quickly bringing her paw back as it moved. She subconsciously wagged her tail and swatted it again. This was fun!

* * *

Ethan found himself admiring the room he was walking in at a leisurely pace. This area was different from everywhere else he had been thus far. The same crystal he had admired near the end of the tunnel covered every surface, lighting up the area.

A series of erratically placed crystal columns on the floor and walls rose and converged to a central point on the ceiling. Every surface seemed to emit a heat that warmed Ethan to his core, but not uncomfortably so. An opening high up on the wall exposed dark clouds. He could smell ozone and idly noted that it would rain soon.

Ethan shifted his studying gaze to the center of the room. A huge conduit of pale-green energy flowed from the converged crystal on the ceiling, down through a massive, rose-like crystalline structure on the floor, and out of sight.

A glint from the base of a nearby column caught his attention, and he moved to investigate. The formation at the bottom of this column appeared to be a little more jagged than the others.

Ethan knelt and looked at the object that had caught his interest. _These are Sir Aaron's gloves!_ He realized, swiftly moving his gaze to the crystal formation in front of him.

Ethan squinted, searching through the semi-transparent formation until he saw what he was looking for. The man in his vision was there, perfectly preserved and frozen behind layers of crystal. His eyes were closed, and a smile donned his face. If Ethan didn't know better, he would have thought the man was sleeping.

 _Sir Aaron. So this_ is _the Tree of Beginning! That narrows down my 'when' to a 2000 year gap, assuming Bulbapedia is correct,_ Ethan concluded. Feeling somewhat sentimental, he decided that a moment of silence would be appropriate for the fallen hero.

 _Do you like my room? I helped make it,_ a voice in Ethan's head giggled.

He stood up and looked around, trying to find Mew. All he heard was more giggling. That was Mew's telepathic voice, though it sounded feminine. Did Mew have a gender? They were always genderless in the games, though that could be because it was a mythical Pokémon, and no one could study or observe something that never appeared for them.

 _Genderless?!_ Ethan's field of vision suddenly turned pink, displaced air ruffling his hair. _I'm a girl! See?_

Ethan turned away, covering his face as his cheeks flushed in embarrassment. "Okay! Okay! I believe you! I never said you weren't," he hastily said.

Mew snickered and patted his head. _You're so easy to work up. You never answered my question. Do you like my room?_ Ethan uncovered his face, pointedly looking away from her. "It's definitely unique. I love the crystal aesthetic you have going. What's that energy coming from the ceiling?" Ethan asked.

Mew looked to see what Ethan was referring to. _That's the Dragon Force. It's the lifeblood of the Tree of Beginning and the entire planet. This chamber is the heart that keeps that blood flowing throughout the world,_ she explained.

Ethan nodded, amazed. He remembered the Dragon Force was a key plot point in the Pokémon Black and White Victini movies. He had never made the connection that the Tree of Beginning and the Dragon Force might be related. As cool as that tidbit was, Ethan came here to ask a few questions.

"Mew, I've been wondering. Why did you save my life the other night?" he asked.

* * *

_The other night…_

_"Lady Mew, where are you? It's an emergency!"_ Eevee shouted, panting from the speed of her run. She had just entered Mew's resting grounds, head moving side to side as she searched for the New Species Pokémon.

 _"Hiya Eevee! Do you want to play a game? I love games~,"_ Mew sang, floating to Eevee's level upside down.

Eevee paled; Mew's idea of a game usually involved near-death experiences dangerous for anyone who wasn't Mew.

 _"Uh, n-not right now."_ Eevee stuttered. _"Mew, I need your help! The guardians are hunting and trying to hurt my new friend. It said they were trying to kill it for no reason! Please, stop them from hurting my friend,"_ she begged, putting on the best puppy eyes she knew how to make.

Mew gained a stern look and laid her paws on the nearest crystal, eyes closed in concentration. She expanded her psychic senses using the tree's crystal network, searching for her guardians and the new friend Eevee had made. There! Mew's attention redirected to an alien presence touching a crystal elsewhere in the tree.

Mew could feel the stress, terror, exhaustion, and resignation in the now-identified human's mind. Mew checked Eevee's memory and saw the image of the human. Messy short blond hair, striking blue eyes, and face covered in dirt and blood. Yep, this was the same person. The guardians weren't too far from his location.

 _"I found your friend, Eevee. They seem nice, but why should I save them?"_ Mew asked the anxious eevee.

 _"Because they saved my life, and I don't want my friend to die. I owe them my life, and now I want to save theirs,"_ Eevee replied, sniffling.

Mew nodded, smiling. With her paw still on the crystal, she sent waves of calm and assurance to the human. Having done so, she let go and disappeared.

* * *

_Present time…_

_Wow,_ Ethan thought, humbled. _I haven't known Eevee for long, and she's already a more genuine friend than any other that I've had. We saved each other's lives._

Ethan sat down, removed his glasses, and took a moment to appreciate what Eevee and Mew had done for him.

He moved to put his glasses back on but found they were missing from his grasp.

_Woah, everything looks so weird._

Ethan looked up to see Mew peering through one of the lenses.

_How do you see with this on your face?_

"Things at a distance are a blur if I _don't_ have them on," Ethan chuckled. "Please don't break those. I need them," he quickly added, taking his glasses back and putting them on.

"I have a few more questions, Mew. I'm from a world where Pokémon only exist in stories and games. Do you know how I got here and if I can get back to my world?" Ethan asked, not getting his hopes up. If fan fictions were a reliable source, he wouldn't be going home anytime soon.

 _You're from another world?! Can I read your mind? Please, please, please?_ Mew asked excitedly, getting in Ethan's face.

Two slender green arms wedged themselves between Ethan's and Mew's faces and pushed them apart.

"Bi, lebi!" a stern voice said, shaking its head, before flying up and through a small vortex of light, which shortly after disappeared with a bell-like chime.

"Uhh, was that Celebi? I guess that's a no-go on the mind-reading then," remarked Ethan.

 _Fine,_ Mew pouted, crossing her arms.

 _I don't know how you got here or why you're here. I'd need to know that to figure out a way back that wouldn't collapse the barriers between dimensions,_ Mew explained.

Ethan sighed, removing his jacket. The heat from the surrounding crystals started to feel uncomfortably warm. "Figures that there wouldn't be an easy solution," he lamented. Lightning flashed from the opening in the wall, and the dark clouds began to release their contents.

"Is it getting hot in here?" Ethan asked, removing his boots in the hope of trying to just cool down. Mew didn't seem bothered by the heat at all, and she tilted her head, studying the human. Ethan's breath hitched, the heat seeming to stifle his attempts to suck in precious air. His heart beat rapidly, and sweat began to bead on his face.

"Wh-what's happening to me?" Ethan spasmed, now on his back, sparks racking his entire frame. The heat that had just been uncomfortable now felt like it was burning him from the inside. Mew came into view and laid her paws on his head, one on each of his temples, and began to gather power. Ethan's vision blurred and darkened, and the last thing he heard was Eevee's rushed steps and concerned cries before losing consciousness.

* * *

Ethan yawned. That was the best sleep he had had in a long time. He rubbed his eyes and scratched his chin, then froze. Something wasn't right. The goatee he had was missing. In its place was smooth, flat skin.

That wasn't the only thing that felt off. Ethan opened his eyes and looked around. It was dark, but he could see the outlines of two bundles of fur on either side of him illuminated by the nearby, dimly glowing crystals. One belonged to Eevee, and the other to Mew, who had her tail wrapped around his left arm. Memories of what happened before came to the forefront of his mind.

What exactly happened? He remembered talking with Mew, feeling uncomfortably warm, then nothing. He had been moved, seeing that he was lying on a bed of leaves and grass surrounded by trees. His jacket was covering him, and his pack was pushed under his head.

 _At least my headache's gone. My body doesn't ache anymore, either. I'm feeling rather hale, actually,_ Ethan thought. His stomach chose that moment to growl at him, demanding sustenance.

Ethan groaned and put his free hand on his belly. _How long was I out? It feels like I haven't eaten in days… which is probably accurate because I haven't eaten anything more than that energy bar since I got here. Why didn't TJ and I split the food rations?_ He cried internally.

Ethan put his free arm down by his side, brushing against Eevee. Eevee shuffled and sleepily grabbed his wrist with her front paws, pulling his hand under her before settling down again.

Ethan chuckled. It looked like he would be stuck here for a while now that both of his arms were bound. He decided to try to get some more sleep.

* * *

"Eeveev?"

Ethan awoke to a feeling of something pushing against his shoulder. His eyes opened to the sight of vibrant green eyes and tall, brown ears.

"Eeveev!" Eevee exclaimed, delighted.

"Hi Eev-" Ethan frowned. "…Why does my voice sound like it's an octave higher?"

Eevee tilted her head. She didn't know what an octave was, but she knew that his voice sounded lighter than it did yesterday.

 _You're awake. About time!_ An aipom approached, carrying several apples and some oran, pecha, and cheri berries in its arms and hand-like tail. It dropped them in a pile, and the aipom's form morphed and changed into Mew, who picked out a pecha berry. _I got this for all of us. Go ahead and eat!_

Ethan, voice issues set aside for the moment, sat up and picked out an apple and a few berries, wondering how each would taste. The oran berries looked similar to blueberries but about four times larger. Ethan popped one in his mouth and chewed. It tasted comparable to a blueberry, just a bit more juicy and a little more tart. Overall not bad, but not very filling.

The cheri berry Ethan was more cautious about. He knew the games showed them to be a spicy berry, and Ethan had long since lost his tolerance to spicy foods. Hopefully it wasn't too much for him. He used to eat cayennes with only mild discomfort. Now, he couldn't even eat jalapeños.

Ethan took a bite and chewed. It had the texture of a cherry, but the spiciness he expected was tolerable. He threw the rest into his mouth.

Ethan took a bite out of the pecha berry and was surprised by how sweet it tasted. He decided this was his new favorite fruit. He idly wondered if he could get dried pecha berries somewhere.

Ethan helped himself to more while he watched Eevee. She seemed to like the cheri and pecha berries the most. _Spicy and sweet, huh? She might be naturally inclined to power and speed if I remember flavor properties from the games correctly,_ he mused.

Having had enough to satisfy him without making him sick, Ethan turned to the pink feline and asked, "Mew, what happened after I passed out?"

 _Hm? Oh, apparently, you're capable of using aura. Being near so much concentrated life energy reacted with your aura, causing it to build up to the point that it nearly killed you,_ Mew explained, nonchalantly tossing another oran berry in her mouth. _If I didn't do anything, you would have exploded._

Ethan blanched at that revelation. "S-so, what exactly did you do?" he asked, becoming aware of his higher-pitched voice again.

Mew giggled and pointed to a nearby pond. _Take a look for yourself._

Ethan, confused, stood and took a step, catching his cargo jeans as they fell.

 _What the… why did that happen?_ Ethan asked himself as he pulled up his jeans and tightened his belt. He also rolled up the hems until they were above his ankles. Satisfied, he unsteadily stepped towards the pond, his socks absorbing the morning dew from the blades of grass under his feet. Eevee decided to accompany him.

Ethan had an inkling suspicion of what he was going to discover as he got on his hands and knees to look at himself in the still water of the pond. Other than his voice, everything around him seemed bigger, and his eye-hand coordination had been off while eating.

Ethan looked at the still surface of the water, ignoring the other Pokémon nearby, and saw a familiar, transparent reflection that he hadn't seen for over a decade. He rolled his eyes, now knowing what Mew did. _This is so cliché_ , he thought. Looking back at him was a younger version of himself, pre-puberty if he had to guess by the sound of his voice. Judging by his appearance and build, he estimated that he was around twelve or thirteen years old.

Ethan groaned. This meant he would go through puberty again, though it probably wouldn't be all bad. If he played his cards right, he could grow to be taller than he had the first time around. He had been slightly below average in height as an adult. Maybe he could at least become as tall as his dad, who was a head taller than he had been.

Eevee mewled and rubbed her head on his arm, worried that Ethan hadn't moved or said anything.

Ethan inhaled and exhaled slowly through his hands, then scratched the fur behind Eevee's ears, much to her delight. "I'm okay, Eevee. This is just… a lot to take in," he assured.

Ethan stood and returned to his original spot, a new question on his tongue. Eevee decided that his lap was the perfect place to sit. Maybe she would get more attention that way.

Ethan smiled and obliged her, running his fingers through her fur, drawing a pleased rumble from her throat. "So it looks like I'm a kid again. How did turning me into a child save me from dying?" Ethan asked.

 _That's easy. Humans capable of manipulating aura typically show signs of their powers when they are young and spend years learning how to control it,_ Mew explained. _These powers don't exist in your world, right?_

Ethan nodded, "Right. Before you rescued me from the Regi's, Sir Aaron came to me in a vision and said he unlocked my 'potential.' Is that why I have aura now?"

Mew shrugged. _Maybe. Though based on how much energy you were giving off, I wouldn't be surprised if you already had the capability, and the Dragon Force just acted as a catalyst._

Ethan gave that some thought.

 _Anyway,_ Mew continued, _making you younger was the only way to save you on short notice. It makes it so that you have a chance to learn how to control your powers, so they don't overload on you again._

Ethan nodded. What Mew said made sense if you looked at it in an anime logic kind of way.

Mew giggled, performing a somersault in mid-air. _Wow, I stayed serious long enough to get through all that in one go. That's a new record for me!_

"So," Ethan began, "What now? It doesn't seem like I have a way to get back home, and as cool as this place is, I can't stay here."

 _You're right. If you stick around for too long, you might overload again,_ Mew informed him. _Why don't you be a Pokémon trainer? You'd find something better to do than hang around with little old me all the time._

Eevee's ears perked up, tail wagging, and jumped to the ground, barking excitedly. "Eeveev, eev veev vee eev," she said, looking at Ethan with sparkling, green eyes.

Ethan met her gaze and considered what Mew said. He _had_ fantasized about what it would be like to be a Pokémon trainer.

 _It looks like Eevee wants to go with you,_ Mew translated.

That put a smile on Ethan's face and a warm feeling in his chest. "There's no one else I'd rather have as my first Pokémon partner than you, Eevee. We haven't known each other long, but we've already been through a lot."

Ethan hesitated, then pulled Eevee back into his arms. "Eevee, I may have mentioned this, but I'm not from this world, and I'm looking for a way back to mine. Do you still want to leave your home and join me on a journey as my Pokémon?" he asked. "We probably won't be coming back here for a while, but I'd love to have you with me. I'll need strong Pokémon like you by my side."

Eevee nodded without hesitation and gently butted her head against Ethan's chest as if to say, 'we're in this together.'

"Thanks, Eevee. This would have been so much harder without you," Ethan said in relief, pulling Eevee into a hug. Eevee decided this was nice and leaned into it.

 _Here, take these. I think you can put them to better use than their original owner,_ Mew said. Mew focused her power, and the next second, Ethan's hands and forearms were covered in navy blue gloves with simple gold trimming and a large, clear crystal embedded into the back of each hand. _These are Sir Aaron's gloves. They assist aura adepts in focusing and regulating the power in their bodies._

"Isn't this considered graverobbing?" Ethan asked, unsure if he should keep Mew's gift.

Mew shrugged. _It was in my room. So in a way, it was mine. If Aaron_ did _appear to you, I'm sure he'd want you to have it._

Ethan nodded and shifted Eevee to his left arm. He flexed the fingers on his right hand, testing the fit of the gloves. He could have sworn that they were bigger when he saw them before, but they seemed to fit perfectly. _Maybe they have some magical property that conforms them to fit the wearer,_ Ethan mused.

Ethan set Eevee down, retrieved his things, put on a fresh pair of socks, and placed his steel-toed hiking boots over them. Surprisingly, his feet didn't shrink much, and the boots fit comfortably. He slipped on his torn, dirty jacket and reached to pick up his pack, getting a whiff of his scent. "I need a shower," Ethan muttered to himself.

One of the straps looked like it had been chewed through. Ethan shot a deadpanned look at Eevee, who had the decency to look sheepish. Ethan sighed and took out his knife to cut off the ruined strap and place it in his pack. He then unclipped the other unchewed strap and clipped it into the opposite buckle, so the strap spanned from his left shoulder to his right hip.

"Okay, now I'm ready. If I remember right, the nearest settlement is Cameran Palace and its village," Ethan said as Eevee made herself comfortable on his right shoulder. "Mew, do you know how I can get there? I think that would be a great place to start."

Mew considered his question, a mischievous glint in her eyes and an evil grin forming on her muzzle.

Ethan took a step back, suddenly feeling uneasy.

 _I can do something better than that,_ was all she said before disappearing and reappearing behind Ethan, grabbing him and Eevee, then disappearing again with her two passengers.

Everything passed by in a blur for Ethan. It felt like every part of his body was in the wrong place, and he could feel his breakfast rising to his throat. After a few moments, the sickening sensation ceased, and Ethan and Eevee collapsed onto a marble floor, feebly clutching their stomachs.

Mew laughed gleefully above them, twirling in place. _I hope you liked teleport! It gets easier after the first time._

Ethan, still holding his stomach, could only say, "Never again." Eevee mewled in agreement.

 _Visit again sometime!_ Mew giggled, waving a paw and teleporting away.

Fortunately, Ethan and Eevee were able to keep their food down, and Ethan pushed himself up, only to find himself surrounded by men in suits of armor pointing spears at him.

"Who are you, and what business have you teleporting into the presence of Her Royal Majesty, the Queen?" One of the men demanded.

Ethan blinked at the stout man, then looked to his surroundings, and groaned.

Mew had dropped him right into the middle of Cameran Palace's throne room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please review! I don't have a beta reader, and Grammarly is dumb sometimes, so tell me what you enjoyed and what could be improved.
> 
> Fun Fact: When I was planning this out, I was originally going to have Ethan's starter be a snivy instead of Eevee. I couldn't come up with a legitimate reason for what a wild snivy would be doing outside of Unova, so I went with the eevee trope.
> 
> Discord Code: FNh6A3e
> 
> Published: July 2nd, 2020
> 
> Updated: February 21, 2021, Grammar corrections, improved readability, and the like.


	3. Preparations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm glad you all are liking this fic so far! I got a really nice review of my writing, and it eased some fears I had about whether I was doing well or not. Please, if you like the fic or have some feedback or suggestions, let me know in a review. I reply to reviews at least once a week.

**Chapter 3**

**Preparations**

_So bored…_ Ethan thought as he stared at the ceiling of his musty cell with one eye, tracing cracks in the stone with a gloved finger. It had been a few hours since Mew unceremoniously dropped him off in Cameran Palace.

After his arrival, he was arrested and placed into a holding cell elsewhere on the castle grounds. The guards confiscated his jacket, backpack, and everything in his pockets, leaving him with nothing to do while waiting for something, _anything_ to happen.

He could care less about his stuff right now, though. When the guards detained him, they pried a terrified Eevee out of his arms and put her in a kennel, seeing that she didn't have a pokéball. He wished they would have let them stay together.

The only good things to come out of this so far was that Ethan was away from the tree, and he narrowed down the 'when' he was to a smaller window. The guards mentioning pokéballs brought the timeline closer to the start of the anime. As they escorted him to his cell, he had learned from a group of passing maids that the current monarch was Queen Ilene, which narrowed the window even more.

The groaning hinges of a heavy door echoed through the hall, bringing Ethan out of his stupor. He sat up as he heard the sounds of approaching footsteps echo off the stone walls.

Led by a guard in front and two behind, Queen Ilene walked into view and came to a halt. A boy he hadn't noticed set up a foldable chair well out of arms reach from the bars of the cell. The queen quietly dismissed the boy and her guards with a wave of her hand, then sat. A moment later, the door groaned as it shut.

Ethan simply bowed his head and remained silent. He racked his brain, trying to recall what the internet said about addressing royalty.

The queen's green eyes studied him. Blond hair was a rare trait, and blond hair with blue eyes was even more so.

"What is your name?" Queen Ilene kindly asked. "You may speak."

"My name is Ethan Dust," Ethan replied. "Your Majesty, is the eevee that was with me okay? I'm worried about her."

"Your eevee is under the care of Nurse Joy. She is in good hands," the queen assured him.

Some of the tenseness in Ethan's shoulders loosened as he sighed in relief. "Thank you," he said.

The queen smiled and nodded. "I usually would not have come to see you myself. However, the circumstances of your appearance warranted my visit," she said. "What were you doing with Mew?"

Ethan considered how to answer that. He couldn't think of a believable story that wasn't the truth. Even the truth might be unbelievable. He hoped that Ilene was trustworthy, based on what he knew about her.

"Your Majesty, may we drop the formalities? It would be easier for me to answer, and I have a lot to explain," Ethan said. "Also, are we alone? I don't want what I'm about to say to reach the wrong ears."

Queen Ilene arched a brow but granted him his request. "You may speak freely. We are alone here."

Ethan spent the next hour recounting his experience on how he ended up at the Tree of Beginning. He told her of his escape from the Regi's, meeting Eevee and saving her life, and how she and Mew rescued him in return. The queen occasionally asked a question to get some clarification but otherwise let him continue uninterrupted.

He told her of his experience in the heart of the tree and how he found Sir Aaron's final resting place, which caught the queen's attention. He then told of his second near-death experience and how Mew changed him into a child to save him from his auratic powers.

"…then Mew thought it would be funny to drop me off in your throne room," Ethan finished, mouth dry.

"I'm so sorry to hear that. You must have been terrified," the queen consoled.

Ethan dropped his gaze. "Yeah," he whispered hoarsely.

An awkward silence reigned for a few moments before Ilene spoke again. "You are capable of aura? Can you show me?"

Ethan lifted a gloved hand so that the embedded crystal was facing the queen. "Well, all I've figured out in the past few hours is that I can make the backs of Sir Aaron's gloves light up a little, but it's hard," he said as he focused and did just that.

The queen sat in silence, going over everything she had learned. It seemed impossible that this boy could be from another world or be older than he appeared, but she couldn't sense a trace of dishonesty in what he said.

"You said you know of our world from stories told in yours, and you seem to be familiar with who Sir Aaron is. If this is so, do you know what happened to him after he left Queen Rin?" she asked.

Ethan hesitated. She was good. It wasn't like she asked him to divulge future knowledge, so it wouldn't do any harm to tell her what happened in the past. Celebi would stop him if he were wrong, right?

"I do. Would you like to know?" Ethan asked as he lowered his hand. At the queen's nod, he gathered his thoughts.

"When Aaron departed on his pidgeot, his destination was the Tree of Beginning. Partway there, his apprentice, Lucario, caught up to him, and Aaron sealed Lucario in his staff to stop him from following.

"When Aaron made it to the tree, he sought out Mew and gave her all of his aura to stop the two warring armies and to save the kingdom from destruction. Since Aaron gave up his aura, he died shortly after, but with no regrets," Ethan finished. He definitely could use some water now.

Ilene closed her eyes, a tear rolling down her cheek. "I have decided to believe all you have told me," she said.

Ethan sagged with relief. It felt nice to have someone other than Eevee know of his origins _and_ believe him at the same time.

Queen Ilene stood up, and Ethan followed suit. "I'll release you and have your personal belongings returned. What will you do now?" she asked.

"My plan was to come here to Rota for information and to make preparations and more plans. I'll be a traveling Pokémon trainer while Eevee and I find out why I'm here. I think our next stop will be Pallet Town to see if I can enlist Professor Oak's help," he replied.

The monarch nodded. "That sounds like a good plan. Samuel is a smart man. He comes by every year for an annual Pokémon poetry competition held in the village."

 _Huh, interesting. That sounds like something he might do,_ Ethan thought.

"I'll have a room prepared for you for the duration of your stay. You should take some time to recover and plan your journey before you leave," the queen offered.

Ethan, not expecting that, could only say, "That will be a big help. Thank you."

"I should thank you," she replied, smiling, "It has been millennia since an aura adept last walked the halls of the palace. Thank you for telling me about Sir Aaron."

* * *

The queen took her leave. A short time later, a guard unlocked Ethan's cell and escorted him back to the palace proper, where he was handed off to one of the palace servants.

"Good afternoon, Master Dust. My name is Jarvis. I have been assigned as your personal butler for the duration of your stay. Your room is undergoing preparations as we speak. Please, follow me," Jarvis said in a British – Galarian? – accent before entering the palace.

Ten minutes and two flights of stairs later, they arrived at a door in the palace's guest wing. Ethan noted that the palace's aesthetic was much like the various castles he had once visited in Germany, only with the addition of crystals seeming to grow through cracks in the bricks. Nearly every surface was decorated. Framed paintings covered most of the walls, and murals covered the arched ceilings, to name a few things. Everything screamed wealth and prosperity.

Jarvis opened a door and directed Ethan inside, saying, "You will find your personal belongings already inside. We have left some fresh sets of clothes for you to change into after you freshen up. You will find the washroom through that door over there. Once you are clean and dressed, pull the string near the door, and I will show you to the Pokémon Center to retrieve your Pokémon."

"Thank you, Jarvis. I appreciate this," Ethan nodded. Jarvis nodded and left, closing the door behind him.

Ethan entered the washroom, turned on the shower, and began to strip down. "This is all a little too posh for my tastes. At least I have a place to stay for a while."

* * *

A streak of brown was the only thing Ethan registered as he entered the Pokémon Center before the air in his lungs was forcibly removed. He found himself on the ground holding a familiar eevee with vibrant green eyes. Eevee wriggled and yipped excitedly, trying to lick Ethan's face.

"Eevee!" Ethan wheezed, "I missed you too. I'm glad you're alright. Did Nurse Joy treat you well?"

"Eevee was just fine once we got her out of that kennel. She was such a sweetheart with the nursery Pokémon. Is she yours?" Nurse Joy asked as she approached with a clipboard in hand.

It took Ethan a moment to regain his breath. "Technically speaking, she's still a wild Pokémon. But she wants to be my first partner. I just haven't had a chance to get her a pokéball," he replied, standing up and draping Eevee over his shoulder, where she made herself comfortable.

Joy smiled and nodded. "That's wonderful! Do you have a trainer's license?"

"Uh… How do I get one?"

"If you have an ID and documents proving that you have passed a physical exam within the last two years, I can get you started here," she replied.

Ethan briefly wondered if he could use his driver's license before dismissing the idea. It wasn't supposed to exist in this dimension, and he didn't look like his photo anymore anyway.

"Is there another option? I don't have any identification, and I haven't had a physical that recently," Ethan said. Nurse Joy cocked an eyebrow, but it disappeared so quickly Ethan wondered if he saw it at all.

"Even without a license, you can still carry one Pokémon with you," she explained. "It would be best to get a license, especially if you plan on going on a Pokémon journey. You can visit the post office after it opens tomorrow to apply for an ID, and then the health clinic next door to schedule an appointment for a physical exam.

"Follow me, and we'll get Eevee registered to you. I'll even give you a pokéball when you're finished. Once you have an ID and have passed your physical, come see me, and I'll help you get a full license."

"Sounds great! Let's get this done so we can eat," Ethan said. Eevee chimed in her agreement with a growl from her stomach.

"How about I grab something for Eevee to eat after we get you started," Nurse Joy proposed. "I'll also give her a full check-up to make sure she's healthy and up to date on her shots."

"Thanks, Nurse Joy. I would appreciate that," Ethan said, then turned to Eevee. "Do what Nurse Joy tells you to do, okay Eevee? I'll be nearby."

"Eev eevee," Eevee nodded reluctantly.

* * *

Ethan was back in his room, having just finished a meal of bread and a potato-based stew with meat and veggies. He briefly wondered where the meat had come from but pushed the thought away when he decided it tasted good.

Eevee was already dozing off on the large bed, having buried everything but her face under the covers. Ethan thumbed her pokéball in his hand, pressing the center button repeatedly to expand and shrink it, wondering how it worked.

When Nurse Joy showed him the pokéballs, he was ecstatic to find that normal pokéballs didn't come just in the default red, but a selection of colors. He picked out a ball that had a green top to match Eevee's eyes.

After explaining to Eevee what the pokéball was and how it would prevent others from capturing her, she tapped the ball. It shook a couple of times before it went still and dinged, indicating the capture was successful.

It turned out that while Eevee didn't hate the pokéball, she preferred to stay outside of it. That was just fine with Ethan. It would be less lonely that way, and it would give them more time to bond and get to know each other.

Ethan set the empty tray of finished food on a cart outside the room and returned inside. He closed the door behind him and sat at the desk where his phone was charging. Fortunately, his charger fit the outlets here.

Ethan unlocked his phone and glanced at the date he had set. He learned at the Pokémon Center that today's date was Tuesday, March 25, 1997. If Ash Ketchum's journey began on the same day that the Pokémon anime first premiered in Japan, Ash would start his journey in one week. _I hope he's at least a little better than the anime depicted,_ he idly thought.

He opened the pokédex app to look up information on Eevee. He wanted to come up with an idea for how to train and plan out what moves to teach her. She already knew quick attack, which Ethan experienced first-hand when he picked her up from the Pokémon Center.

After a few minutes, Ethan gave up on trying to figure out a training regimen. There were too many things he didn't know yet. Were Pokémon limited to four moves? Did Pokémon battles take after the games or have a more realistic approach? He hadn't seen Eevee battle yet and didn't know her fighting style. He would have to hold a training session sometime or go into town to battle some local trainers to get a feel for her current abilities and learn what other moves she knew.

While Ethan didn't have a trainer's license, he was only allowed one Pokémon and was not permitted to catch more. He wouldn't be allowed to buy pokéballs or challenge gyms to official battles either. He could still battle other trainers and make money wagers, however.

He grimaced. That was another thing he needed to sort out. His cash and plastics were no good here. He would need money to buy equipment, supplies, and food to travel. He didn't want to bum off of Queen Ilene more than he already was. He decided he would wander the town tomorrow to see if he could find any small jobs to earn some cash.

Ethan let out an eye-smarting yawn. It was late, and it had been an exhausting few days. He dimmed the bedside lamp, crawled under the covers, and pulled Eevee into the crook of his arm, which she groggily wrapped her forelegs around. "Night, Eevee. We have a full day ahead of us," Ethan whispered before closing his eyes and waiting for sleep to take him.

* * *

Ethan walked through the automatic doorway of the Pokémon Center after spending most of the day in town and made his way to the training fields. He rubbed the bandage on his still-tender left shoulder.

After asking Jarvis for directions and a town map, Ethan had made his way to the post office. He filled out some forms and took his photo for his ID, which he could pick up in a few days.

He was also able to schedule a same-day physical examination at the clinic. With no previous medical or vaccination records, he was required to receive several shots before the doctor would pass his physical. At least he didn't have to pay for any of it, as the government covered prevention-related care.

The town was beautiful and had a medieval feel, which reminded Ethan of a few places in Austria and Germany he had visited on a family vacation when he was ten. Eevee was entranced by everything in sight. There were so many new smells and lots of people and Pokémon she had never seen before.

Ethan was able to earn some cash thanks to his education and inclination to most things tech-related. There were many family-run businesses that had either an issue or an opportunity with a machine or a website. The internet here was still in its infancy, and its coding languages were primitive compared to what Ethan was used to working with, but he managed.

News of his skillset spread quickly through the small-ish community, and by the time he set off to the Pokémon Center, his skills and services were in demand. He promised to return tomorrow for more work.

"Hey, Eevee," Ethan began when they got to the training field, getting Eevee's undivided attention. "Do you like to battle?"

She nodded her head fervently and yipped an excited "Eevee!"

"I'll take that as 'I like to battle a lot.' I want to see what moves you know and how you battle. Let's start with your moves." Ethan said.

Ethan pulled out a notepad and pen he had bought earlier and pointed at a straw training dummy. "I know that you know quick attack. Show it to me again, but this time on that target."

Eevee spread her legs and set her stance, face set in determination, before sprinting towards her target, her form trailed by a streak of white light. She impacted the dummy, pushing it back several inches before coming to a stop.

"Wow. Pretty good, Eevee! You were holding back on me yesterday, weren't you?"

Eevee nodded and grinned sheepishly.

"Go ahead and show me another one of your moves. I'll watch," Ethan instructed.

Over the next several minutes, Eevee went through her move pool on the poor dummy. Ethan identified tackle, sand attack, growl, tail whip, and quick attack. But there was one more move he wasn't sure about.

The attack made Eevee's eyes flash green for a moment but didn't affect the dummy, making Ethan guess that it was a status move. He'd have to check his pokédex app later to see if he could identify it. That answered the four-move limit question he had.

Ethan finished taking notes and called Eevee back. "Okay, Eevee, based on what I saw, you favor physical moves and close combat. You also have some good speed and a standard move pool for your level of strength.

"I'm thinking we'll need to find someone to battle to get an idea of how your defenses are. It might also help me figure out what that last move you used was," he said.

Eevee bobbed her head in agreement with his assessment.

"We should add some ranged coverage like shadow ball or swift. We also need to add a little type variety to your move pool. I think I want to teach you dig first, then we can move on to other moves like bite or iron tail," he continued. "But we can get started on that tomorrow. For now, let's head back to the palace. I'll race you there!"

"Hey, you! I ain't seen you 'round here before. You a trainer?" a bratty-sounding voice asked before Ethan could take a step to leave.

"Uh, yeah," Ethan replied, turning to see a kid in shorts. "Why do you ask?"

The boy smirked before pulling out a pokéball. "You look weak. Come on, let's battle!" he said.

Eevee growled. No one calls her best friend weak and gets away with it!

Ethan looked to Eevee, who met his eyes. "What do you think, Eevee? We wanted to battle someone anyway."

Eevee nodded an affirmative, and Ethan walked to one end of the field while the brat went to the other box.

"Eevee's my only Pokémon, so let's make this a one on one battle," Ethan called over as the boy sent out his Pokémon.

"Fine by me. I only need one to beat you anyway. My rattata is in the top percentage of all rattata!" Brat boasted.

"Sure, kid. Are we gonna start or what?" Ethan asked as his heart began to beat faster, feeling nervous and excited for his first battle.

"Grr, I _ain't_ a kid! Rattata, use tackle!" Brat yelled.

"Eevee, growl and dodge!" Ethan countered.

Rattata's attack seemed to slow as Eevee curled her lips back and growled before she dodged to the side.

"Knock it off balance with tail whip, then use tackle!"

Eevee got a running start, then pivoted on her front paws, bringing her tail around to whack the rattata as it turned to face her, dazing it. She set her hind paws back on the ground and rammed her body into her foe, who kicked up dirt as they rolled towards Ethan.

Brat ground his teeth in frustration. "Rattata, use super fang!"

Ethan's heart skipped a beat. "Don't get hit by that!"

Eevee grinned and stood her ground, waiting for the rattata to get closer as its fangs began to glow and elongate.

 _Why isn't she dodging?!_ Ethan asked himself.

When Rattata was about to hit, Eevee's eyes flashed green, and she blurred to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack. She then took advantage of the new opening to tackle the rattata away.

Ethan blinked, trying to figure out what just happened. There was the flash in Eevee's eyes again, but this time she avoided the attack. Then it clicked. "Eevee, was that detect? How did you learn detect?"

Eevee turned to Ethan with a cheeky grin before returning her focus to the battle, which was unnecessary as Brat's rattata was out cold.

"Huh, must have hit a weak spot," Ethan said. "Eevee, you're amazing!"

Eevee ran and jumped into Ethan's arms. "It's so awesome that you know detect. You must have had a fighting type parent," Ethan remarked.

"Vee, vee," she replied, beaming in pride.

 _I wonder if this means she could learn double kick,_ Ethan thought.

"You just got lucky. There's no way you'd beat my rattata in a fair fight," Brat said.

Ethan just rolled his eyes and shooed him away. "Sure, kid. Why don't you take your rattata and get it to Nurse Joy."

Brat huffed and left, retrieving his Pokémon.

"So, Eevee, still want to race?"

Eevee yawned and shifted, perfectly comfortable in Ethan's arms. He chuckled, "I guess you deserve it this time. You did well." With Eevee cradled in his arms, Ethan made his way to the bridge north of town.

* * *

Ethan spent his free time over the next week at the Pokémon Center learning basic Pokémon medicine and training Eevee, or at the library finalizing his plans and filling his knowledge gaps, particularly in the care and dietary needs of Pokémon. He noted that there was no mention of TM's in any books or the internet. It looks like he's going to have to teach moves the old-fashioned way.

He also learned that Pokémon weren't well documented. Professor Oak and Professor Westwood V created a joint 'Pokédex Initiative' a few years ago to begin documenting the known Pokémon species of the world starting with the Kanto native Pokémon. The last number of recorded species was around 150. They had only had recent success in getting the Johto and Hoenn regions involved with the initiative.

Professor Oak would have a heart attack if Ethan showed him the pokédex app. Even though it contained data based on the games, it still had over 900 Pokémon species – if you counted regional variants – from Kanto to Galar.

Ethan received his ID and was able to get his trainer's license. There was a small fee, but thanks to all the work that kept him busy, he had earned more than enough to pay it.

When he saw that he was making more than could reasonably fit in his skinny wallet, he deposited most of his earnings into his trainer account. It turned out registered trainers had something akin to bank accounts with the league, which he decided to put to use.

After consulting Jarvis on what he would need for his journey, Ethan bought what he needed and replaced his waterlogged and irreparable items. He wanted to get a new backpack as well but decided against it. His pack was still fit enough to use.

Ethan decided on an outfit for himself. He got white undershirts, some green button-down shirts, a blue zip-up hoodie with gold stripes, and some gray jeans. After some thought, he decided to grab some socks made from wooloo wool.

He also bought a Pokémon grooming kit with tools and brushes to groom and clean Pokémon with fur, scales, or feathers. Eevee was a big fan of that purchase.

On the evening before his departure, Queen Ilene summoned Ethan to her throne room.

"Greetings, Ethan. I know you've had a productive week. Are you ready to depart?" Ilene inquired.

Ethan nodded, "I am, Your Majesty. I plan on taking a bus tomorrow morning to Pewter City, which will take most of the day. After that, I'll make my way to Pallet Town."

"Very good. I have something for you," the queen said, nodding to Jarvis, who walked into a side room before coming back out.

In his arms was a sapphire blue satchel with simple yellow highlights and an embedded crystal in one corner, matching the pattern on his gloves. It had several pockets on the outside and an opening on the top. Jarvis approached and offered Ethan the satchel.

"Open it," Ilene said, smiling. Ethan, curious about the gift, unzipped the top. Ethan's eyes widened, unable to believe what he was seeing.

"I-It's bigger on the inside?! What? But how?" Ethan confusedly exclaimed, checking the other pockets and confirming that the same phenomenon was present. _This is some Doctor Who and Mary Poppins level stuff,_ he thought. Each pocket and opening seemed to have its own space that should have conflicted with the others. He could fit everything he owned in this new bag with plenty of room to spare.

Jarvis explained, "Master Dust, this bag is a product of the Devon Corporation. It uses similar technology to that of the pokéball in that it makes items easier to carry. You can also holster your pokéballs on the strap. Her Majesty had this custom ordered and imported for you as a way to support you on your journey."

Ethan nodded dumbly. He didn't know what to say.

"Ethan, like Rota Kingdom's aura guardians of old, this is your home," Ilene said, "When you visit Rota again, you will be welcome here."

The stunned Ethan managed to find his voice. "Thank you, Your Majesty. I accept these gifts."

"I have one more thing to ask you," she said. "You said Sir Aaron's Lucario is sealed within his staff. Do you know how to get him out?"

Ethan thought through her question before deciding it should be okay to tell her. "In the story, Lucario broke out of the staff when he mistook someone else's aura for Sir Aaron's. I know who this person is, but I'm not yet sure if they exist. I can find that out while I'm on my journey and, circumstances permitting, bring them to next year's Guardian of the Aura tournament."

"Thank you. Don't forget to nurture and develop your aura as well. You may not have a teacher, but do the best you can," Ilene requested. "I will send word to Samuel Oak to expect you. Now, go and rest. Tomorrow is a new month, and the day your journey begins."

Ethan nodded. "Thank you for your hospitality," he said as he shouldered his new satchel and followed Jarvis out of the room. He was genuinely grateful for the bag. He had wanted to buy one, and this one looked awesome. He couldn't imagine how much it had cost.

* * *

Ethan released Eevee from her pokéball once he was back in the room. Eevee curiously sniffed the new bag. "Eevee, no chewing or playing with this, okay? I can't replace it," he told her.

Eevee scoffed dramatically. It was only _one_ _time_ , and she hadn't done anything like that since.

After sorting and moving his supplies and items to the new bag, Ethan tested the weight. To his delight, it was lighter than when he had it in his pack. Satisfied, Ethan set it down and crawled into his bed, accompanied by Eevee.

"Tomorrow's the day, Eevee. We're finally going to see the world that I've always wanted to see," Ethan said.

"Eevee Eeveev vee eev!" Eevee cheered before crawling to Ethan's chest and lying down.

That night, their dreams were of their journey that lay ahead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please remember to review! You can make any writer's day by leaving a review even if it's just 'I like it.' Even the best writers suffer from impostor syndrome, and reviews like that help them keep going.
> 
> I have received a couple of requests for Ethan to specialize in one or another type of Pokémon. All I can say to those is that I'm leaning more towards him being a generalist than specializing in a single type. I never specialized in a single type of Pokémon when playing the games growing up, so I don't feel like starting now.
> 
> Also, I think that I'll try and post no less than one chapter every other week from now on. I interviewed for a job, and I think I might get it!
> 
> Discord Code: FNh6A3e
> 
> Published: July 10, 2020
> 
> Updated: February 21, 2021, Grammar corrections, improved readability, and the like.


	4. The Journey Begins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, we're nearing 300 hits! Thanks for the kudos, comments, etc. It's fun to talk with people about my story.
> 
> New syntax!
> 
>  ** _I am Jarvis_** \- Pokédex

**Chapter 4**

**The Journey Begins**

**~Kanto Arc~**

Ethan stepped off the bus and stretched, legs cramped from the ten-hour ride between Rota and the central bus terminal in Pewter City. While the distance didn't warrant a drive that long, the terrain did. There were few paved roads between the two places, and the bus often drove up and down winding paths on the rocky mountain trails.

Ethan checked his watch and noted that the sun would set in about an hour. He grabbed Eevee's pokéball as he studied a nearby city directory map for directions to the nearest Pokémon Center. He wanted to plan his route through Viridian Forest before turning in tonight and was informed that the Pokémon Center had maps and guidebooks for sale. He also wanted to check out the gym before it closed.

First things first, he would stop at the Pokémon Center. "Eevee, come on out! We're here," Ethan said as he opened Eevee's pokéball. She materialized on the ground and yawned, incoherently muttering as she rubbed her eyes.

"Sorry if I woke you up, but I thought you'd like to stretch your legs and see the city. Pewter's pretty different from Rota," Ethan told her. Eevee looked around and shrugged, unimpressed. After a week in Rota, Pewter didn't compare.

"Yeah, I agree. This part of the city is more like what I'm used to. Let's take in the sights as we walk. We have a few things we need to do before we turn in," Ethan said as he turned to exit the station with Eevee padding alongside him.

* * *

Ethan grumbled as he walked towards the gym. All the rooms in the Pokémon Center were taken by new trainers that had started their journeys today, leaving Ethan with the need to find another place to sleep. At least he was able to get the map and guidebook he needed.

When Ethan told Eevee about the gym challenge and the Pokémon League competition on the ride over, her eyes grew wide, and Ethan could have sworn he saw stars. He decided then that it wouldn't be a bad idea to take on the gym challenge after his business in Pallet Town was concluded. He had a feeling that he would need to get stronger for whatever trials lie ahead, so he decided to trust his instincts.

Several minutes passed before the gym came into view near the outskirts of the city. The front looked rather plain with large, gray slate boulders stacked to frame the entrance, and the words 'PEWTER GYM – Officially sanctioned by the Pokémon League' were carved into the front.

Ethan took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "What do you think, Eevee? This is the Pewter City gym. The gym leader here uses rock-type Pokémon," Ethan said, holding in his excitement. When all he heard was silence, he looked down only to find Eevee was no longer by his side. A yelp from the gym made him look up to see Eevee dashing inside the gym doors as a dejected-looking trainer opened them.

"Eevee? Don't run off! Wait for me!" Ethan yelled as he ran after her. He dashed past the trainer, apologizing when she yelped again, and through the open door.

Once inside, he scanned the room. There was an unoccupied reception desk and waiting area off to the side. Straight ahead was another set of doors, cracked open with light shining from further inside.

"It's so cute!"

"I saw it first!"

"No! I want it!" a couple of children's voices argued back and forth. Ethan opened the door to the scene of a young boy and girl with squinty eyes, each having a hold of Eevee, trying to pull her to their side.

Eevee saw Ethan and looked at him with big eyes as if saying 'Save me!', and cried a distressed, drawn-out, "Eeveev!"

Ethan sighed and marched over, snatched Eevee from the tug of war, and held her out of reach, much to her relief. He turned his attention to who he presumed were two of Brock's younger siblings, who protested his actions.

"You two should treat Pokémon better than that. Eevee isn't as durable as the rock-type Pokémon you may be used to playing with," he said before looking up at Eevee.

"And you, little missy, shouldn't run off like that. I know you're just as excited as I am to see the gym but please show a little restraint next time," Ethan chided. Eevee's ears flattened, and she mumbled what sounded like an apology.

Ethan nodded and looked back down only to find that more squinty-eyed children joined the original two, and they were… looking at him curiously? He couldn't exactly tell since he couldn't see their eyes.

"Why is your hair so bwight?" one of the younger girls asked.

"Uhh, because I was born with it?" he replied, feeling awkward with all the eyes on him.

"Who's that Pokémon you're holding?" one of the older children asked.

Ethan felt some relief that the subject was moving away from him. "This is Eevee. She's my Pokémon and best friend," he said as he sat on one of the large rocks behind him and placed Eevee in his lap.

 _This could be a good opportunity to get Eevee used to new people,_ Ethan thought.

* * *

Brock Harrison took two Pokéballs from the rejuvenation machine outside of his gym's Pokémon vault and set them on his belt. It had been a busy first day of the April rush, where new trainers starting their journey hurried to challenge his gym. He and the gym Pokémon had had their work cut out for them, but they managed to successfully defend the gym. This wasn't an original Kanto gym for nothing, after all.

Having finished tending to the needs of the Pokémon, Brock closed and locked the vault. He checked the nearest clock and noted that it was six pm; time to close the gym and prepare the evening meal for him and his nine younger siblings.

Brock wasn't a gym leader by choice. The gym belonged to his mother's side of the family. A few years ago, his mother, Lola, became bored of the home life and left to travel abroad shortly after giving birth to his youngest twin siblings. He only knew she was still alive from the occasional postcard they would receive.

His father, Flint, was the gym leader up until three years ago. He left the gym and all of his children in Brock's care to go on a journey to become a stronger Pokémon trainer. Brock hadn't heard from him since.

Brock loved his brothers and sisters with all his heart, enough to put his dreams on hold to take care of them and run the gym so they could support themselves.

Brock heard a commotion from the gym arena and shook his head, smiling. It sounded like his brothers and sisters got distracted while cleaning again.

"She likes to be scratched behind the ears. Yeah, like that," an unfamiliar voice said, accompanied by a separate cry of delight.

Brock frowned and put on a stone-cold expression, adopting his gym leader persona. It sounded like another trainer slipped in while he was healing his Pokémon. He stepped into the gym arena and moved to the shadows to observe the trainer, hand on a pokéball just in case.

The trainer was sitting on one of the battlefield's large rocks, and in front of him were six of Brock's siblings sitting in a half-circle. He had short blond hair and was rather well-dressed compared to most rookie trainers.

"Eevee is capable of evolving into several different forms. That's why eevee are known as the Evolution Pokémon. The evolved forms that are already known here in Kanto are flareon, jolteon, and vaporeon, though there are a few more which haven't been documented yet," the young man told them.

Yolanda, Brock's oldest sister, raised her hand. "Can eevee evolve into rock types?" she asked.

"I'm not sure, Yolanda. If they can, it hasn't been discovered yet," the trainer replied, "I wonder what a rock-type eeveelution would be called, though. Rockeon? Graniteon? Obsideon? That last one sounds pretty cool, actually."

Brock's expression softened slightly as he stepped forward from the shadows. "Salvadore, Yolanda, Tommy, Cindy, Suzie, Timmy, go and finish your chores, please. I'll be inside in a few minutes."

"Okay, big brother," was the collective response as the siblings dispersed. Cindy walked up to the trainer to return his eevee, then left to join the others.

* * *

Ethan jumped down and stood as Brock approached, his footsteps echoing around the open arena. Eevee opted to stay on the rock to get a better view of the approaching stranger.

Like the rest of his siblings, Brock had the same squinted eyes and spiky brown hair, and he stood a good five inches taller than Ethan. He wore the outfit he used in the original series, which told Ethan that this might be pre-anime debut Brock.

"If you're here to challenge the gym, you'll have to come back another time. The gym closed a few minutes ago," Brock said. Even though Ethan knew his demeanor was for show, it was still unnerving.

"Oh, I'm not ready to challenge the gym yet. I want to catch another Pokémon and do some more training before I'm ready," Ethan said. "Eevee and I just wanted to check out the gym and see if we could meet Brock, the gym leader. Can I assume that you're him?" he asked.

"I am," he confirmed. "Who are you?"

"My name is Ethan, and I'm from Rota Town," Ethan replied, nodding towards Eevee. "And that's Eevee."

Eevee raised a paw and let out a friendly "Eevee" in greeting.

"Did my brothers and sisters give you any trouble?" Brock asked.

"I had to rescue Eevee from Suzie and Timmy when we first got here. Other than that, all your siblings were fun to be around," Ethan replied. Eevee jumped down onto his shoulder and chimed in her agreement.

Brock nodded, relaxing his persona. "That's good. I have to finish closing the gym, but I look forward to your challenge. I can tell you'll bring a good fight with you," he said.

"Thanks!" Ethan replied. "Do you know of any places in town I can stay tonight? The Pokémon Center's booked, and I don't think my wallet would appreciate hotel prices right now."

Brock cupped his chin in thought. If the Pokémon Center was booked, and Ethan couldn't afford a hotel, then that didn't leave him with many options other than camping out.

"Tell you what," Brock began, "There are several beds in the gym home that are reserved for gym trainers. We haven't had any gym trainers in a long time.

"If you want, you can have one of those beds for the night, on the condition that you do some grocery shopping for me. I also want to try making Pokémon food for your eevee. I haven't had a chance to make something for an eevee yet."

Ethan considered the proposal, then turned to Eevee. "What do you think, Eevee? It's your food he's messing with if we accept. It'll probably be better than what I got at the PokéMart."

Eevee immediately nodded. Anything would be better than the bland PokéMart Pokémon food.

Ethan chuckled and scratched behind her ears, drawing out a pleased "Eevee vee."

"Thanks, Brock. We'll take you up on that. Eevee likes spicy and sweet foods, if that'll help when you make her something," Ethan informed the gym leader as he shook his hand.

"I'll keep that in mind. I have a shopping list at the house. Go and wait by the back door while I finish locking up. It's through those doors behind me. I'll come to get you in a minute," Brock said.

* * *

After Ethan settled in, Brock gave him the list and his gym leader badge to pay for the shopping trip. Ethan left Eevee at the house per the children's request while he was out.

When he informed Brock of his plans to travel through the Viridian Forest, Brock told him that he should stock up on antidotes. "There are a lot of beedrill colonies. They're more aggressive this time of year because their young recently hatched," he explained.

Ethan left the market, groceries and extra antidotes bought. It still amazed him how much stuff could fit in his bag. He had one more stop he wanted to make. On his way to the market, he had seen a military surplus store. He thought about getting a small, easy-access pack that could carry his knife, some medicine, and a few pokéballs.

After browsing for a bit, he bought a small bag he could strap to his thigh. He would pack it later tonight.

Ethan returned to the gym and followed a side path to the house behind. The door was propped open to let in the crisp evening air. He entered and took off his sneakers – something he would have to get used to doing since Kanto and some of the other regions' social customs were similar Japanese customs – and proceeded to the kitchen.

"Hey Brock! Smells great in here. Where do you want me to put the groceries?" Ethan asked.

"Just put them on the counter… Ethan? Where are the groceries?" Brock questioned when he saw Ethan's empty arms.

Ethan set his bag on the ground, opened the top, and proceeded to unload the haul. Brock cocked an eyebrow at the display of Ethan pulling out more than what should rightfully fit in the bag.

"Is that a Silph Co. space bag? Those things aren't cheap," Brock remarked.

"Devon Corp, actually. It was a gift. It's one of the best things anyone's ever given me," Ethan replied, smiling. "Here's the receipt and your badge. I'll set them on the counter here."

Brock shrugged. "Thanks for doing that. Dinner will be ready in a few minutes."

Ethan nodded and went to his room to do one last check of his supplies.

_Potions and status effect cures, four empty pokéballs, and rope, check. Food to last me and two small Pokémon a couple of weeks, check. Canteen, water purifier, and extra water, check. First aid kit, check._

_My old knife, multi-tool, and magnesium/flint firestarter, check. Compass, map, and guidebook, check. Folding shovel, flashlight, cooking supplies, dishes, hygiene items, toilet paper, biodegradable soaps, and towel, check. Sleeping bag and tent, check. The most important thing: Duct tape, check,_ he finished as he skimmed through the more important items on his list. _Jarvis really knew what he was talking about. I would have missed getting some of this stuff otherwise._

_Taking into account the bag and antidotes I bought today, I still have around 15,000 Poké-Credits in my account to work with._

A knock at the door came as he finished taking inventory of his things. Ethan got up and opened the door.

"Food's ready, Ethan."

"Thanks, Forrest," Ethan said as his stomach growled, drawing a good-hearted chuckle from both boys. "Food sounds good right about now."

"I hope you're ready to be amazed by Brock's cooking then. You've never had anything like it," Forrest bragged as they walked down the hall to the dining area.

"I don't know. My mom makes a great lasagna, but that's about it," Ethan said, getting excited at the reminder that Brock was actually a great chef. How had a detail like that slipped his mind?

"Well, all of Brock's dishes taste great. He can take pretty much anything and make it the best thing you've ever had."

"Anything, huh?" Ethan said as they arrived in the dining area. He took a seat between Forrest and where Brock would be sitting. Eevee padded up to Ethan and placed her head under his waiting hand.

Ethan glanced around the table to what was being offered. Everyone's plate was filled with rice, chicken, yellow curry, and an assortment of mixed vegetables. Ethan raised a brow when he noticed Tommy's plate had corn flakes sprinkled all over it.

Salvadore noticed his confusion and explained, "Tommy won't eat dinner unless there are cornflakes."

"Oh! I can understand that. Cornflakes add some crunchy texture to any meal," Ethan reasoned.

"Finally, someone gets it!" the young Tommy cheered.

"Someone finally gets what?" Brock asked as he came into the room and set down a bowl of Pokémon food next to Ethan for Eevee.

"We get why Tommy likes cornflakes," Ethan replied.

"Oh yeah. For the crunch," Brock smiled.

Eevee stepped away from Ethan to sniff at the bowl set near her. After taking a cautious bite, she squealed in what Ethan could only describe as pure joy and dug in.

"Woah, not too fast, Eevee! You'll get sick," Ethan warned.

Eevee looked up at him with her stuffed cheeks before returning to her bowl, eating a little slower.

"Great. Eevee won't want to eat the Pokémart Pokémon food now that she's had yours, Brock," Ethan chuckled.

"Sorry about that, Ethan," Brock laughed sheepishly, "Just dice and mix in a few of Eevee's favorite berries, and she should be fine with it. Now, let's say grace."

"Grace!" The Harrison children clapped their hands once before digging in.

"Uh, grace," Ethan echoed before picking up his own fork and taking a bite of the chicken and curry rice.

"Oh, wow," Ethan said, surprised at the explosion of flavor in his mouth that was somehow perfectly balanced with the texture. "Sorry mom, but you've been dethroned."

"Well?" Forrest asked expectantly.

"It's great! I don't think it's fair to compare Brock's curry to my mom's lasagna. They're totally different kinds of food, but this is the best curry I've ever had," Ethan said with some finality.

"Told you it was good," Forrest smirked before turning back to his meal.

"You could start a restaurant, Brock. People would flock from all over Kanto just to eat your food," Ethan said to the oldest member at the table.

"I appreciate the thought, but I don't see myself cooking as a profession. My dream is to become a top Pokémon breeder. Cooking is just a small part of fulfilling that dream," Brock confessed before taking a drink from his cup.

"What do Pokémon breeders do?" Ethan asked as he took another bite of food.

Brock set his cup down and leaned over. "Do you know about the pidgeys and the beedrills?" he asked in a hushed tone.

Ethan looked confused for a moment before it clicked. "I know what sex is, Brock," he whispered back, conscious of the younger children in the room who were oblivious to their conversation.

"Right, well, some breeders care for and breed Pokémon to get a particular trait in the offspring, such as physical traits or specific moves," Brock explained. "For example, Eevee's green eyes are a pretty rare trait. If I want to breed for an eevee pup with green eyes, I'd look for a compatible male that also has green eyes to increase the odds of the offspring having the same trait as the parent.

"Other breeders, like those who work for the league, will help Pokémon repopulate an area if their numbers fall too low. The Pokémon farfetch'd, for example, is an endangered species, so league breeders are working to get their numbers back up."

Ethan nodded along as he ate, intrigued with this new information. "What specifically do you want to do?"

"I'm not sure yet. I've still got a lot to learn," Brock replied.

"You'll have to show me some of what you know after our battle, at least the parts about taking care of Pokémon," Ethan said as he finished his meal.

"Sure, but only if you get the badge," Brock chuckled.

Ethan spent the next half hour enjoying the food and company of the other members of the table, talking and laughing with them. After finishing and setting his dishes in the kitchen sink to wash, he returned to the dining area to find Eevee belly-up, groaning as she pawed at her bulging stomach.

"I think I should get ready for bed," Ethan said, "I want to get an early start tomorrow."

Ethan placed Eevee in his arms, stood, and thanked Brock for the meal and bed before bidding goodnight to the rest of the Harrison family.

"You still ate too fast, didn't you?" He stated to his furry companion as he set her down on the bed in their room.

Eevee grumbled before curling in on herself and dozed off into a food-induced coma.

Ethan shook his head and planted a kiss on Eevee's head, making her smile in her sleep, before he prepared for the day ahead.

* * *

Ethan carried a still-sleeping Eevee in his arms. He was now traveling southwest through Route 2, on the stretch of farmland between Pewter City and the wilderness before Viridian Forest. He got up at five this morning, and the twilight was already beginning to light up the sky.

Brock was awake and wished him good luck on his journey before he left. He also gave Ethan the recipe for Eevee's Pokémon food. She _loved_ Brock's cooking, which wasn't surprising. He did too.

He continued walking down the path, crinkling his nose as he passed by a larger farm. Ethan was surprised when he looked over the fence and saw a herd of cows. Not tauros or miltank, but just regular cows. He knew from his time in the Rota library that they and other animals existed, if only in captivity, but it didn't fully register until now.

Ethan was out of farm country and on the final stretch of wilderness before the Viridian Forest by the time the sun rose over the distant Mount Moon mountain range. Eevee stirred and yawned, then took in her surroundings.

"Morning, Eevee. Feeling better?"

Eevee hopped down and stretched, arching her back then shaking out each leg. "Eevee Eeveev," she greeted.

"That's good. How about some breakfast before we start into the forest? Brock told me how to make the PokéMart food better so we can use it up. Why don't you go relieve yourself while I get everything ready?" Ethan suggested as he set his bag down on the side of the path.

Eevee nodded and tapped her pokéball on the strap of the satchel, returning herself.

While Eevee was doing her business, Ethan got out a bowl and measured out some of the Pokémon food. He then mixed in some diced pecha berry according to Brock's instructions.

Ethan pulled out a sandwich that Brock prepared for him and took a bite, savoring the flavor of ham and sharp cheddar. While he chewed, his thoughts turned to the trek ahead. This would be his first time going into the wilderness alone in either world – if he didn't count Eevee.

While it was true he was an Eagle Scout and earned his wilderness survival merit badge, it had been years since he used any of those skills. The most he could remember about the experience was how to make a shelter and start a fire.

 _I've got a compass, a map, and a plan,_ he assured himself. _If I stick to the plan, I can make it to a campground most nights and be out of the forest in a week._

Eevee's ball shook, and Ethan tapped the release. Eevee materialized, breathed in sharply a few times, then sneezed loudly.

"Gesundheit! Here you go, Eevee. Eat up," Ethan chuckled as he set her bowl down. "After we make it to the first campground tonight, we'll work on your double kick again. It looks like you're able to form the fighting-type energy correctly. We just have to work on power and technique."

"Eev eevee eev!" she agreed between bites. After a minute of silent eating, Eevee's ears flicked up, and she stopped before getting another mouthful of food. She looked around as if searching for something.

"Hm? What is it?" Ethan asked.

Eevee looked up and barked excitedly, raising her front paws to point at what caught her interest. She lost her balance and fell onto her back, but made no move to get up.

Ethan looked to where she pointed and blinked. In the sky far above him was an enormous bird trailed by a rainbow. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me… Is that Ho-Oh?"

The legendary phoenix flew northeast until it was out of sight. A golden glint of something in the air caught Ethan's attention as it slowly descended.

When it was within reach, he caught it and lowered it so both he and Eevee could examine it.

"Please don't tell me this means I'm some kind of chosen one," Ethan groaned as Eevee beheld the object, captivated by its many colors.

In his hand, Ethan held a rainbow wing.

"Of course a being from another dimension would be noticed by the legendaries. Why wouldn't I be? They're probably the reason I'm here," he further complained.

* * *

After some healthy ranting, Ethan placed the feather in a hidden compartment of his bag with his phone and a few of his otherworldly possessions. He and Eevee finished their food and walked side by side with no further exciting developments thus far.

"Okay, Eevee, be on the lookout for a caterpie. Those should be relatively simple to raise and train, I think," Ethan said.

"Eev veev," she nodded as she began to look side to side, eyes, ears, and nose alert.

While Ethan had some "meta" knowledge on Pokémon, he acknowledged that real-life Pokémon could not be raised like video game Pokémon. Therefore, he opted for something like a caterpie to be his first catch so he could get more experience raising Pokémon. If Ash could do it, anyone could.

The canopy of the forest soon became thick enough to filter out most of the light from the brightening sky. Dirt and gravel crunched underneath Ethan's boots, insects buzzed and chirped, and the cries of Pokémon sounded in the distance.

"I'm kind of surprised we haven't run into anyone yet. It'd be nice to see how our training is coming along in a battle," Ethan said, breaking the silence.

Eevee nodded, then stopped, sniffing the air.

"Eevee eev eev!" she exclaimed, running up to and around a nearby tree. She looked at Ethan and pranced in place, telling him to hurry up.

"Did you find one already? Let's see," Ethan whispered as he caught up to Eevee and peeked around the tree.

Ethan blinked, rubbed his eyes, and blinked again. "Damn, Eevee. Either that's a really strange weedle, or you've found a yellow caterpie."

 _Of course my first catch is going to be a shiny Pokémon. Not that I'm complaining. My shiny luck was crap in the games,_ Ethan thought excitedly.

He crouched next to Eevee, keeping an eye on the caterpie who was on the side of a nearby tree. "Okay, Eevee, the only moves a caterpie can use is tackle, string shot, and bug bite. Avoid the string shots and use hit and run tactics. If we do this right, you'll knock it out in two, maybe three hits tops. Get out there and start things off with your dig attack."

Eevee nodded, a grin forming on her muzzle as she jumped up and came down to earth, seemingly sinking into the dirt. The caterpie sensed something was up and began to move, only for Eevee to jump out of the ground and smack it to the ground.

"Eevee, let's take this chance to try out your double kick attack," Ethan commanded, coming out from behind the tree. He reached into his tactical bag, pulled out a pokéball, and primed it.

Eevee ran straight for the caterpie, gathering the energy for a double kick attack. The caterpie recovered from the surprise attack, cried an angry squeak, and fired a series of rapid-fire string shots, getting a glancing blow on Eevee's flank as she wove around them.

_Wow, I didn't think to use string shot like that._

"Zig-zag as you approach, Eevee. Make yourself harder to hit," Ethan coached.

Eevee got the idea and began to do just that. It took more time to get to the caterpie, but she didn't get hit by any more of the string shot.

When she was close enough, she jumped into the air and performed a front flip, hind feet glowing white. She hit the caterpie once, then twice before bouncing back and landing on all fours.

Despite the move not being very effective, it still knocked the caterpie out cold. Ethan pulled his arm back and threw the pokéball, watching as it flew through the air.

It missed.

Ethan blinked. "Huh. They make it look _so_ easy," he mumbled as Eevee rolled on the ground, laughing. He retrieved the pokéball, then crouched next to the still unconscious caterpie, deciding to just tap the Pokémon with the ball in hand this time.

The caterpie dematerialized into red plasma as it was sucked into the ball. It shook a few times before it dinged, indicating a successful capture.

"All right! We made a new friend by beating them up!" Ethan humorously proclaimed as he stood and raised the pokéball above his head.

. . .

"...I'm never making that pose again. I don't care if nobody was watching. That made _me_ cringe. Stupid twelve-year-old impulsiveness."

Eevee calmed down from her giggle fit and walked up to Ethan, chest puffed out.

"Okay, Eevee, you were pretty awesome. Your double kick is looking good," Ethan praised, scratching behind her ears while he pulled off some sticky string from her flank. "Maybe we can start working on swift or shadow ball tonight."

"Eev vee," she said, beaming as she stood on her hind legs and pawed Ethan's bag. He knew what she wanted and pretended to be deep in thought.

"I don't know, Eevee. You _were_ laughing at me. I don't think you deserve one."

Eevee gasped and moved her front paws to his leg, saying something that sounded like a frantic apology.

Ethan chuckled, pulled out a chunk of dried pecha berry, and stuffed it in her mouth while she was still talking.

"Now, let's heal Caterpie and welcome them to the team."

* * *

Ethan held a hand over his mouth as he yawned. It had been a few days since Caterpie joined the team. In those few days, he learned that Caterpie was a glutton, which his Pokédex App confirmed that 'Caterpie has a voracious appetite. It can devour leaves bigger than its body right before your eyes'. After the first couple of meal breaks, he started making sure his Pokémon ate at different times so that Eevee wouldn't get her food stolen by the ravenous bug.

Caterpie became rather affectionate once it got to know Ethan and Eevee. When it wasn't in its pokéball, it was riding on Ethan's shoulder or his satchel.

Ethan was pleased to find out that Caterpie _did_ know all the attacks it was capable of learning on its own. After looking up its move set, Ethan realized that caterpie were capable of learning electroweb, though he had no idea how to teach it.

 _Maybe if I expose Caterpie to some electric type attacks, it could learn how to generate electricity and combine it with string shot,_ he theorized.

Ethan checked his compass to get his bearing. Yep, he was still traveling in a southern direction. The forest had become so thick, the only way he knew he was still on track was because of all the signs he had passed pointing towards Viridian City.

"Viridian City," he muttered. "I feel like I forgot something super important related to Viridian City."

"Eevee?"

"I'm not sure what it is. Well, if I can't remember, it's probably not important enough," Ethan concluded.

"No, not again! Not now!"

" _Never_ interrupt the Team Rocket motto!"

" _That's_ what it was!" Ethan said, snapping his fingers. "I completely forgot about Team Rocket! Now, who said that?"

Ethan and Eevee crept closer to the voices, staying behind cover to remain out of sight.

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Keep it down before you wake up the beedrill!" a boy with messy raven-black hair and a bleeding scratch on his cheek yelled in a hushed tone.

"TEAM ROCKET BLASTS OFF AT THE SPEED OF LIGHT!"

"SURRENDER NOW OR PREPARE TO FIGHT!"

"MEOWTH, DAT'S RIGHT!"

Ethan covered Eevee's ears when explosions of blue and pink chalk dust went off behind the Team Rocket trio. "Sheesh, how loud can they get? And how can Jessie keep her head straight with all that hair?" he asked himself.

"Eeveev, eevee eev?" Eevee pointed back to the scene, getting Ethan's attention.

"That's Ash Ketchum, Eevee. He's the one I told you about, the one that can free Lucario from Sir Aaron's staff," Ethan told her.

By this point, Ash had outrun Team Rocket and evaded the dive-bombing beedrill that had become enraged by the explosions, causing them to focus on the criminal trio.

"Come on, Eevee. Let's catch up with him."

* * *

"I didn't abandon you, Metapod! I just got sidetracked. It was all Samurai's fau-," Ash's sentence cut off as he lost his footing and yelled as he hit the forest floor, Metapod rolling a short distance away.

After a moment, Ash spoke up again. "No, it wasn't Samurai's fault. It was _my_ fault. If I was a better Pokémon trainer, I'd stop making all these excuses. From now on, I swear I'll never run away and leave my friends behind again."

Ash got back on his feet, ran to Metapod's side, and nodded. "No more excuses." Ash's and Metapod's eyes met, and he knew that Metapod forgave him. Their moment was interrupted as he heard the telltale buzzing of a beedrill's wings, and he turned to face the approaching threat.

"Ash!" Misty cried.

"Watch out for the twinneedle attack!" Samurai warned.

"Pikapi!" Pikachu yelled.

"Eevee, quick attack!"

Ash blinked as he saw a blur of brown and white from the corner of his vision ram into the beedrill's side, knocking it off its trajectory and forcing it to face its new attacker. That last voice wasn't Misty or Samurai.

The blur stopped and positioned itself between Ash and the beedrill soldier.

"Who's that Pokémon?" Ash asked as he pulled out his pokédex.

_**Eevee, The Evolution Pokémon** _

_**It has the potential to evolve into any one of three different Pokémon.** _

"She can actually evolve into eight different Pokémon, but now's not the time to talk."

Ash startled and turned to face the new speaker. "Who are you?"

The blond-haired newcomer just smiled and said, "I'll tell you in a minute. Gotta take care of that beedrill first." He grabbed a pokéball off the strap of his bag and threw it. "Time to battle, Caterpie!"

His caterpie formed from the bright white light, and Ash was… confused. "I thought caterpie were supposed to be green," he said.

"Amazing! You caught an off-colored caterpie," Samurai remarked as Misty shuddered from the sight of another bug. "That's a rare find."

"I just call them shiny Pokémon," the stranger shrugged as he caught the rebounding pokéball. "Caterpie, use string shot to tie up the beedrill's wings, then use tackle."

The caterpie obeyed and spewed out the sticky substance, gumming up its opponent's wings and stingers, causing the beedrill to fall to the ground. It then charged forward and tackled the defenseless beedrill into a nearby bush.

"Good job Caterpie," he praised, then pulled Ash to his feet with his free hand. "Come on. Let's get out of here before the rest of the swarm shows up."

"Uh, right!"

"A good idea. Come, my cabin is nearby," Samurai said.

Ash carried Metapod as the stranger collected his eevee and caterpie, and both entered the safety of Samurai's protective bug net.

* * *

_Holy crap, I'm sitting next to the actual Ash Ketchum,_ Ethan thought. This was the kid that helped him get through his early childhood afternoons after school on Kids WB. Granted, rewatching the same episodes as an adult significantly dimmed his views on how great Ash was, but he still held some respect for the guy.

"Now that we're out of danger, let me introduce myself. My name is Ethan, and I'm from Rota Town," Ethan said. "What are your names?"

"I'm Ash Ketchum, from Pallet Town. And this is Pikachu."

"Pikachu!"

"I am called Samurai."

"My name is Misty," Misty finished. "Rota Town… isn't that in Rota Kingdom near Cameran Palace? I've always wanted to visit the castle."

"It is," Ethan nodded. "It's a beautiful place filled with great people. I moved there just before leaving on my Pokémon journey."

"Eevee, Eeveev!" Eevee said, pouting at Ethan.

"I didn't forget about you," he assured her. "This is Eevee. She was my first Pokémon."

"Aww, she's so cute! Can I hold her?" Misty asked, irises getting big.

"Sure. Be gentle, though. She's still getting used to people. She was a wild Pokémon before she joined me."

Eevee padded up to Misty, enjoying the attention she received.

"Hey, Ethan? Thanks for saving me and Metapod earlier. What did you mean when you said eevee can evolve into eight Pokémon?" Ash asked. "Dexter said eevee only evolve into three Pokémon."

"The pokédex only has data on Pokémon that have been documented so far, so it doesn't have entries for Eevee's other evolved forms," Ethan informed him. "The current pokédex only has information on close to 150 Pokémon native to the Kanto region. Pokémon in other regions are still being studied and documented."

"Other regions?" Ash asked, visibly confused.

"Yeah. You didn't think Kanto was the _only_ region in the world, did you?"

"O-of course not!" Ash said, flustered.

Ethan raised a brow, then shrugged. That sounded like a typical season one Ash response.

"So if Dexter doesn't have every Pokémon, how many are there?" Ash asked.

Ethan hummed in thought. "I'm not exactly sure, but I believe there are over 900 different kinds."

The room went silent, and Ethan looked around to find the other three humans openly gaping at him.

"…What? Stop looking at me like that," Ethan said nervously. _Did I say too much?_

"Sorry," Misty said, "It's just amazing to think that there could be so many kinds of Pokémon. Think of all the water types!"

"Or the bug types!" Samurai exclaimed.

Misty visibly shuddered, hugging Eevee a little closer. "N-no thanks."

"Wow," Ash whispered, seemingly in a daze, "That's a lot."

"Yup," Ethan nodded, looking around while everyone else processed the bombshell he dropped before settling on Ash again.

"Hey Ash, would you mind having a training battle with me using Pikachu? I think my caterpie is pretty close to evolving and needs a push," Ethan asked.

Ash took a moment to process his words before replying. "A training battle? Is that like a regular battle?"

"Yeah, but the idea is to help our Pokémon get stronger rather than knock the other out. I have an idea for an attack that requires Caterpie to generate electricity, and being hit by a thundershock or two might help Caterpie learn how to do just that."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pokémon Teams:
> 
> Ethan: Eevee (F), Caterpie* (?)
> 
> So, Ethan met Brock, then Ash and Misty, and made his first change to the Ash timeline. I wonder if this will have a Butterfree effect *slaps knee*.
> 
> He also caught his first Pokémon! I did struggle to decide on the shiny part, but I think it's going to work better than it would have otherwise.
> 
> Thanks for reading! Please leave a review. I suggested it nicely :)
> 
> PS. I ended up getting that job! So nice to have work after being jobless for just under two years. I anticipated getting it, which is why I decided on posting every other week. I think I'll be able to keep to that, but I guess we'll find out.
> 
> Discord Code: FNh6A3e
> 
> Published: July 22, 2020
> 
> Updated: February 21, 2021, Grammar corrections, improved readability, an extra scene or two, and so on.


	5. Pallet Town

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can't think of what to say other than you are awesome! Enjoy Chapter 5!

**Chapter 5**

**Pallet Town**

Ethan crested one last hill and took in the view of the town below. It had been a little over a day since he and Eevee left Viridian City. In his opinion, they made good time getting here a few hours before sunset.

Eevee raised her head from her position on Ethan's shoulder to get a better look. She liked this place already if her wagging tail was any indication. Pallet Town was quiet and smelled much better than Viridian did.

Ethan lifted his red metapod higher in his arms to give it a better view.

"Here we are, you two. Pallet Town! Population: 721 if that sign is correct. It looks nice here," he said.

"Eevee!" Eevee nodded her head in agreement. Metapod couldn't really do or say anything right now, but he got the feeling they agreed.

They spent another moment admiring the sight before Ethan cast his searching gaze over the town, looking for one place in particular.

"There! That's our destination," he said as he moved Metapod to one arm and pointed with his other. "See that windmill over there? That's Professor Oak's laboratory."

Ethan grabbed Metapod's pokéball and expanded it. "I'm going to return you to your pokéball for now, Metapod. I'll call you back out soon."

Metapod blinked once, and Ethan returned it before setting the pokéball back on his satchel. "Eevee, want to walk with me? We don't have much farther to go."

Eevee hopped off his shoulder and did a flip before touching down. She looked up at her friend and grinned.

"Showoff," he chuckled, "I could do the same thing if I wanted to."

Eevee looked skeptical.

"…Okay, maybe not 26-year-old me, but 12-year-old me still has hope," he clarified.

* * *

Ethan rang the Oak Pokémon research laboratory's doorbell. He stepped back to wait, tapping his foot on the welcome mat that had an image of the three Kanto starter Pokémon. The lab was pretty close to Pallet's northern outskirts, so he and Eevee hadn't seen much of the town yet.

Eevee impatiently pawed the concrete beneath her. Remembering what happened at the Pewter gym, Ethan scooped her up, drawing a surprised squeal from Eevee, and held her in his right arm while stroking her back with his left. She found the situation amenable and leaned into his chest. That helped to soothe Ethan's nerves somewhat.

After a minute, the sound of heels approached from the other side, and the door clicked and slowly opened. A young woman in her mid-teens with long brown hair and a green one-piece pencil skirt dress appeared.

"Hello, can I – oh, wow! Your eevee has green eyes! She's so cute!" the young woman gushed.

Ethan laughed nervously. "Yeah, she gets that a lot. Is it unusual for Eevee to have green eyes?" he asked.

The woman shook her head. "No, it's just not common. Most Pokémon look the way they're supposed to, though some will have different features than their species' standard."

She then seemed to remember what she was supposed to be doing. "Oh, I'm sorry. Whenever I see adorable, I kind of get sidetracked," she apologized. "What can I help you with?"

"Oh, um, I came to see Professor Oak. He should be expecting me, though I'm a day or two later than I thought I would be," Ethan replied.

"You must be Ethan then! I'm Daisy Oak. Gramps _did_ say he expected you to arrive any day now. He's working on something right now and can't be disturbed. Come in and have something to drink while you wait. I just finished brewing a pot of sugina tea."

"Thank you. I think I'll take you up on that," Ethan said as he followed Daisy inside. _I don't remember seeing Daisy in the anime. Maybe she just wasn't around when Ash left._ "Do you have honey? I've never had sugina, but I heard it has a strong flavor."

"Sure. I like honey in my tea as well."

* * *

Ethan sat on a chair on the lab's back patio, blowing softly on his tea before taking a sip. He set the cup back down on the table and added a little more honey.

"You and Eevee look close. How long have you been together?" Daisy asked, then took a sip of her tea.

Ethan looked out at the expansive ranch, his brows furrowed as he ran the numbers through his head. "Just under…three weeks? Wow, does time fly," he answered.

"Only three weeks? It looks like you've been together for a lot longer than that! She seems happy and well taken care of if her coat and the amount of energy she has is anything to go by," she observed as Eevee and Daisy's clefairy ran by, playing a game of tag.

"We've been through a lot together already," Ethan agreed as he looked at his Pokémon, "She means this whole world to me, and I love her like a father loves his daughter."

Daisy smiled. That was pretty mature for someone Ethan's age. He was much more mature than her little brother Gary and his rival, Ash.

Ethan abruptly lifted his hands and caught Eevee as she jumped at him mid quick attack. Eevee's momentum caused Ethan and the chair he was sitting on to screech back about a foot before stopping.

He set her on his lap, and she stood on her feet, bracing herself on his chest as she rubbed her cheek against Ethan's. "I guess she heard us talking," Ethan laughed as he scratched her favorite spot behind her ears.

"H-how did you do that?!" Daisy asked, stunned. "She was moving so fast I couldn't even see her!"

Ethan shrugged. "Her pupils get really big and she wears this dopey grin on her face whenever she's about to run at me. The first couple times were painful, but I got used to it."

"Daisy, has the parcel from Dr. Autumn arrived yet? I can't make any more progress on the P.T.S. project until it arrives," an approaching voice from the open door asked.

"It hasn't shown up yet, gramps," she yelled back when she shook off her surprise. "Take a break and have some tea. You have a guest!"

Ethan looked to the door as a middle-aged man with graying brown hair and thick dark brown eyebrows stepped outside wearing a red short-sleeve button-down shirt and tan slacks.

"Oh? You must be Ethan! I'm Professor Oak, the lead Pokémon researcher in the Kanto region," Professor Oak said as he offered his hand.

Ethan shifted Eevee to his left arm as he stood and shook the proffered hand. "Good to meet you, Professor. I read some of your book 'An Introduction to the Research of Portable Beasts' while I was in Rota. You pretty much single-handedly changed the world's perspective over the past thirty years that Pokémon are entirely different from regular animals."

Oak nodded and waved off the praise as he let go of Ethan's hand. "I had a _lot_ of help from Professor's Rowan and Cedric Juniper back then in getting it published. It certainly jump-started my career," he laughed.

"Oh! You reminded me of something." Ethan opened his bag with his free hand and pulled out a sealed cardboard box. "The Nurse Joy in Viridian City asked me to deliver this to you. I figured I would since I was coming here anyway," he said as he handed the box to Professor Oak.

"Well, if it isn't Dr. Autumn's parcel! Thank you, my boy! Daisy, will you take this inside and set it on my desk on the second floor? I believe Ethan and I have some matters to discuss," Oak said.

"Sure, gramps. I've got to get back to my studies anyway. I'll see you two later!" Daisy cheerfully said as she carefully took the parcel and disappeared inside, her clefairy skipping after her.

The professor sighed. "Daisy was such a talented coordinator back when she traveled. She's studying to become a Pokémon groomer now, and I've never seen her happier."

Oak turned to Ethan and waved him over. "Follow me to my study. We can talk there in private."

Ethan adjusted his grip on the now-snoozing Eevee and followed the professor inside.

* * *

Ethan walked through the door held open by Professor Oak and sat on the farther of two sofas in the room. He carefully set Eevee on the cushion next to him and put his bag on the floor near his feet.

"So, Ethan," Professor Oak began as he sat across the coffee table on the other sofa, "is Eevee here your first Pokémon?"

Ethan smiled. "Yeah, she is," he answered. "Professor, what is it that you study again? Is it human and Pokémon relationships?"

The professor nodded. "That is my primary focus as a Pokémon professor, but it's not the only thing I study. Every Pokémon professor and researcher has an obligation to uncover the mysteries of Pokémon. I had this laboratory and its various environments throughout the ranch built twenty years ago so that my aides and I can study Pokémon in their natural habitats," he reminisced with a smile and a distant look.

"Ah, I'm babbling, aren't I? Let's get down to why you're here. Queen Ilene sent me a message to expect you." Professor Oak furrowed his brows. "She mentioned that you had an unusual Pokémon-related incident you need help with. The message was rather vague, but I'm assuming you can fill me in on the details?"

"Right. I've had a lot of time to think about this, and this is going to sound like an odd question, but what do you know about the multiverse theory?" Ethan asked.

Professor Oak folded his arms and looked up in thought. "Hmm… If I had to put it simply, the theory suggests that there are multiple universes. Some are similar to our own, while some are very different. There's no definitive proof that they exist, however."

Ethan nodded. "That's part of the reason I came to see you. I still can't think of a believable way to explain the… _complicated_ situation I'm in, so I'll just tell you as it really is," Ethan said nervously, scratching his jaw and taking a deep breath.

"I'm not from this dimension. I'm from an earth where we know about Pokémon through… stories, legends, cartoons, you name it; but Pokémon themselves don't exist. The last thing I remember from my world before I wound up near Rota was hearing a couple of powerful, ancient voices in a cavern deep underground. When I came to, I was in a lake in the Tree of Beginning."

Professor Oak waited patiently while the boy in front of him finished his tale. "You're right. It is hard to believe. It's hard to think of what a world would be like without Pokémon."

"I think I can prove it, though," Ethan confidently said.

Professor Oak sighed and shrugged. "Very well. What proof do you have?"

"Well, if this is the Pokémon world I think it is, I can tell you of something that happened in your past specifically that you've probably never told anyone about."

Professor Oak blinked. "There are stories about me in your world?"

"Sort of? In most of them, you give the main character their starter Pokémon and keep in touch with them after."

Ethan took another moment to gather his thoughts before he began. "Anyways, back to the topic on hand. Tell me if this is accurate. Almost forty years ago, you were in a forest in the northwest part of Johto, north of Olivine City. You saved Celebi from a Pokémon hunter, but got dragged forty years into the future and met Ash. You two saved Celebi from the Iron-masked Marauder, then Celebi brought you back to your time."

Ethan chuckled. "By the way, you having gotten the idea for the pokédex from Ash, who got his pokédex from you in the first place, is a causal time loop. Technically speaking, no one really knows who came up with the idea for the pokédex."

Professor Oak's jaw dropped more and more throughout Ethan's monologue. "H-how do you know about that?! I never told a soul about Celebi!" he accused as he stood and narrowed his eyes accusingly.

Ethan tensed as he stroked Eevee's head when she twitched in her sleep, calming her down. "A-as I said, the earth I'm from has stories about the Pokémon world. Now I know for sure it's based on this world. I've watched the cartoon series on and off for over twenty years. Hell, even your and Ash's adventure with Celebi was made into its own full-length movie."

Ethan looked back up to the professor, who was now just staring with wide eyes.

"Oh, but please keep this a secret between us," Ethan begged, "I don't need the wrong people, especially Team Rocket or anyone affiliated with the League finding out that I'm from another dimension. I'd prefer to choose who I tell, and the only ones I've told about my origins so far are Queen Ilene, my Pokémon, and now you."

Oak slowly lowered himself back into his seat and put his head in his hands. "I could never have imagined that the incident Queen Ilene mentioned would be on a scale of inter-dimensional proportions,"he muttered.

"I suggest being careful with who you tell of your origins and how much you reveal," Oak sighed. "I suspect you're looking for a way back then?"

"That's my goal. I have a few ideas for what Pokémon could have been involved. Do you know of the space and time legends in Sinnoh?"

"You think Palkia and Dialga are somehow involved in your coming to this world?"

"It makes some sense to me. Palkia is the master of space, and Dialga is the master of time. I was pulled here through time, space, and dimensions. I suppose Giratina could also be involved somehow, though I don't know enough about it. Maybe the Sun and Moon legends of Alola could be involved," Ethan mused.

"I'm afraid I'm not as familiar with the Sun and Moon legends. How much of our world do you know about?"

"Uhh… a lot? Maybe? Though a better answer would be 'less than I think'," he answered, "The Sun and Moon legends of Alola are Solgaleo and Lunala. I'm sure your cousin Samson or Professor Kukui could give you more details if you called them up."

"Professor Kukui? Who's that?" Professor Oak asked.

"Um, he either is or is going to be Alola's regional professor. I didn't consider that he may not be a professor yet. Forget I said his name."

Oak raised a brow then shook his head. "Anyway, I'm afraid I don't have a solution for your predicament. I can check my resources to see if anything like this has happened before, though I'm not confident anything will turn up."

Ethan nodded. "That's alright. I figured this wouldn't be easy."

Professor Oak thought back over the conversation and remembered some things Ethan had said. "You're rather young for someone over twenty years old," he chuckled. "You also said you heard voices before you wound up in this world. Do you remember what they said?"

"Oh, yes. I'm mentally twenty-six and physically twelve. A separate incident in the Tree of Beginning made me younger. Don't ask how. It was painful," Ethan shuddered. "As for the voices, the first voice asked the second if they thought I was 'sufficient,' and the second said I 'would do'. That probably means I was brought here to do something."

"If that's true, then it's possible that you won't be able to go home until you do whatever you were brought here to do, assuming it's possible to go back at all. Have you considered the possibility that your coming here was a one-way trip?"

Ethan's heart skipped a beat, and he froze as those words processed in his head. "I – I didn't even think about that. I have family back home, verdammt! I can't imagine not seeing them again!" he said as he held his head in his hands.

The professor gave him an empathetic look. "I'm not saying that it's impossible to go home. This is something that, as far as I know, has never happened before. But it would be wise to prepare for the possibility that you may be spending the rest of your days here."

"You're probably right," Ethan shakily mumbled. "Still, I've got to keep hope that I can see them again, right? I didn't even have a chance to say goodbye…"

Ethan felt something soft and furry slip through his arms and onto his lap. He opened his eyes to meet Eevee's worried green irises. "Eeveev?" she whispered softly.

He remained silent and pulled her into a tight hug as if she were his lifeline. His shoulders began to heave as the stress of the past three weeks manifested all at once. He buried his face into Eevee's mane and wept.

Eventually, the heaving subsided, and Ethan let go of Eevee. "S-sorry about messing up your fur, Eevee. I'll fix it later. Promise."

"Eevee veev," Eevee said as she nudged his chest.

Ethan turned to look at the professor with puffy eyes. "I'm an emotional wreck. I was taken from my world against my will and nearly died twice already. I guess these last three weeks have been harder than I thought."

"Twice? Well… don't worry about it. Everyone needs to cry once in a while. I've had my fair share," Oak said in understanding. "I'll see what I can figure out and update you on my findings."

"Th-thank you," Ethan hiccuped. "Oh! I almost forgot. I have some pictures that I took of some kind of mural that I found in the cave I was in before I found myself in the tree. Maybe that could help you in your search? I'll show them to you in a minute. I've got a few more things I want to talk about with you before I forget."

"Alright. What else do you wish to discuss?"

"I was wondering if I could have a pokédex and the ability to have Pokémon transferred to your lab once I reach the carry limit. Even though I'm looking for a way home, I still want to go on a Pokémon journey and collect badges and do whatever else trainers do. It's not every day you have the chance to do something that was supposed to be impossible."

"Indeed," Professor Oak chuckled, then looked down in thought as he considered Ethan's request. "I usually only allow locals or trainers I sponsor to keep their Pokémon on the ranch. I'm already inclined to sponsor you, but tell me why I should."

Ethan worked his fingers through Eevee's mane as he thought about what he could offer. Spoiling future events was off the table. He didn't want to risk a negative outcome of some future event by telling someone else what he knew. He thought about the pokédex app on his phone, and he had an idea.

"You and Professor Westwood are working on expanding the pokédex database," he stated, "You're probably just getting data from Johto on their native Pokémon for the next iteration of the pokédex, right?"

Professor Oak raised a brow. "That's correct. We _are_ working on expanding the pokédex. Why do you ask?"

Ethan opened his bag and pulled out his phone. "This is a device from my world. It's my phone, camera, and a computer. Remember that I told you that, in my world, Pokémon only exist in cartoons, stories, etcetera? They're also a video game series. I have a program on here that has data on over 900 species of Pokémon.

"The data is based on the games, but something constant between the games and everything else is that they have the same species of Pokémon."

The professor leaned forward, intrigued. "Interesting… If what you say is true, this could bring the pokédex project forward by several years! Can you show me?"

* * *

After Ethan turned on his phone and showed Professor Oak how to use it, the professor eagerly scrolled through the list, occasionally stopping to look at some of the entries. It was like watching a wide-eyed kid experiencing the magic of Disneyland for the first time.

"This is fantastic! These may be artistic renderings, but I've traveled all around the world and seen many of these Pokémon. Who knew there was a fairy type? _Oh_ , and look at all these alternate forms!"

Ethan smiled. "I'd probably keep mega evolution, dynamaxing, and gigantamax forms under wraps unless they're already known. Professor Sycamore is supposed to be the one to study mega evolution, and the latter two is a phenomenon only possible in the Galar region, so it might already be known there."

The ecstatic professor nodded. "There are things I'm going to have to keep to myself until I can verify them. I don't see a problem using the data for all the non-legendary Pokémon, though verifying and gathering real-world data will take time."

Professor Oak looked up from the phone. "I'll sponsor you and give you a pokédex if you leave this with me for a little while. I'd like to copy the data from this application and see how the device works. It'll take some time."

Ethan frowned. That would leave him without his camera and number one reference to figuring out move-sets for his Pokémon. Then again, maybe he was becoming too reliant on it.

"Can you tell me how the pokédex works? If I'm going to be without my phone for a while, I want to know if the pokédex can hold me over."

"That's understandable. The pokédex gives you basic data on wild Pokémon you scan like their type, and some need to know information. Scanning your own Pokémon will provide you with more detailed information like gender, known moves, and moves that their species are known to learn. If the pokédex doesn't have data for a particular Pokémon you've caught, it can still tell you its gender and known moves."

Ethan considered Professor Oak's proposal. The downside was that anything his phone had that the pokédex didn't wouldn't be available to him. The upside was that the pokédex could show him information specific to the Pokémon he had.

"I want to take some notes before I hand it over. Other than that, you've got yourself a deal. Do I have to sign anything?"

* * *

After showing the professor the photos he took in the cave and concluding their business, Ethan was surprised to find that the sun had already set. He was now following Professor Oak to a place he could spend the night since the lab didn't have guest accommodations.

Ethan, being the techie he was, was playing with his new blue pokédex. He discovered by scanning Metapod that she was female. _Is this going to become a trend that I can't catch male Pokémon?_ he wondered. _At least I know she's a girl now. I kind of felt bad referring to her as 'it.'_

Professor Oak, of course, was surprised by the red metapod. Ethan told him that she was due to evolve any day now, and he'd happily give him the leftover chrysalis if she evolved during his stay.

Ethan decided it would be best to rest a full day and make more plans before heading out. He already knew he was heading back to Pewter City to challenge the gym. Eevee's dig and double kick attacks were pretty much mastered, and she was making progress on swift and shadow ball. When given a choice, Eevee decided she wanted to work on both attacks.

"Here we are, Ethan. Pallet House: Delia. You won't find a better meal or a more gracious host in Kanto," the professor claimed. "This is where Ash lives."

"Huh, I didn't know Mrs. Ketchum ran an inn."

Professor Oak knocked on the door and waited. "It's not a true inn. Pallet Town is an out of the way place and we don't get many travelers, so it's unprofitable to build and maintain a dedicated inn or hotel. Delia is more than happy to lend a room to the occasional traveler like yourself."

The door opened, and a woman with amber eyes and reddish-brown hair stepped forward. "Samuel! It's good to see you! I heard Daisy's in town. How's she doing?" Delia asked.

"She's doing quite well, Delia. If she keeps studying like she is, she'll be a licensed groomer before the end of the summer! She has her heart on setting up shop in Celadon City," the professor replied.

"I'll have to visit tomorrow. Come inside! Would you like to stay for dinner? I'm making spaghetti and meatballs," she said before noticing there was another guest. "Oh? Who's this?"

"My name is Ethan. It's nice to meet you Mrs. Ketchum. I was wondering if my Pokémon and I could rent a room for a couple of nights."

"Delia, Ethan is my newest sponsee. I'm willing to cover any costs for the duration of his stay," Oak added.

"In that case, I'll let him stay at no charge. If you're offering to cover costs, he must have done something really nice for you."

A pair of loud growls stopped the conversation, and the two adults looked at Ethan and Eevee, who sheepishly chuckled. "I guess Eevee and I haven't eaten since lunch. Does your meal offer extend to us too? It smells great!"

* * *

The next day found Ethan in an open field under a tree near the lab. Metapod was leaning against the tree while Eevee was a short distance away, in a wide stance, and her eyes closed, focusing her power.

"Remember, Eevee, the best places to focus your energy for a swift attack is the white of your tail and your mouth. You don't need to worry about aiming. You just need to keep your target in mind."

Ethan then turned to Metapod. "Metapod, I want you to keep on meditating. You can learn confusion once you're a butterfree, so focusing and strengthening your mind now will likely help you have finer control over your psychic powers."

Metapod closed her eyes and began to do just that, and Ethan pulled out his notebook to plan the next part of his journey. He had done all he could for now in finding a way home. He thought about heading to Sinnoh, but had a feeling going there wouldn't bear fruit until Team Galactic became active.

 _Come to think of it, a lot of things seem to wait until Ash is conveniently nearby. Maybe it would be a good idea to stay near him. He seems to meet almost every legendary Pokémon he comes near,_ Ethan thought.

Then another idea came to him. Would it be easier just to join Ash's group? _I promised Queen Ilene I'd bring him to Rota's tournament next year. That's happening a few weeks before the Indigo League competition in July, so Ash should have his eight badges by then. That'll probably mean skipping the filler episodes that happen around then, so it's nothing significant to the timeline._

 _Plus, maybe having some constant competition around him will motivate him to train. Brock and Misty_ were _always too soft on him. We could also work on developing our auras together, assuming his power isn't still dormant._

Ethan grimaced. Would it be awkward to travel with kids between ten and fifteen years younger than him? _I guess I'm technically in their age group now, so it would only be weird to me._

Ethan checked the date on his watch. Saturday, April 12th. If the English dub were correct, Ash would get to Pewter City within the next few days, and Ethan didn't know how long Ash stayed there. It had to be at least two or three days.

"Eeveev! Eevee eevee eev!"

Ethan broke out of his thoughts to see an excited Eevee dash into the tree's shade to his left side. Curious, he turned to see what caught Eevee's interest.

Metapod's eyes were glazed over, and Ethan noticed a line running through her chrysalis getting larger and larger. The cracking stopped after a few seconds, and a sudden bright light poured from the open seam. Ethan's horror changed to awe as he realized what was happening.

The first things to emerge from the cracked shell were two pairs of white chitinous wings with black outlines: a large upper pair and a smaller, lower pair with the central area filled in black. The light intensified before dying down.

The butterfree experimentally flapping her wings had two antennae, green compound eyes, a pink mouth, pink hands, pink feet, and the regular purple-colored exoskeleton.

Butterfree trilled an exultant "fweee" as she took off into the sky and flew in circles between the lab and Ethan's location.

Ethan grabbed his pokédex to record Butterfree's data.

_**Butterfree, the Butterfly Pokémon  
One week after caterpie evolves into metapod, it again evolves into butterfree** _

"I know that. Show me the deets, Jarvis," Ethan told his pokédex as he pushed a button to show the information he wanted.

"Let's see… Looks like Butterfree can't use harden anymore. Her known moves are tackle, string shot, bug bite, gust, sleep powder, poison powder, stun spore, and confusion. Neat!" Ethan said as he looked at his beautiful recently-evolved butterfree.

"This is so awesome, Butterfree! Congratulations on evolving! Let's check you out, and then I'll get you some food!"

Butterfree descended and landed near Ethan, waiting for instructions.

"Let's get a good look at you before we start. I've never seen or touched a butterfree before," Ethan said as he lifted a hand before stopping. "May I?"

"Fwee fwee!" Butterfree nodded, and Ethan proceeded to rub the side of Butterfree's head, careful to avoid her eyes, wings, and antennae. Eevee walked up and sniffed her to memorize her new scent.

"Huh, it isn't weird like I thought it would be. You're firm, but there's a bit of softness that feels nice."

Butterfree trilled contentedly and leaned into his touch, putting a smile on Ethan's face.

After a moment, Ethan stood, and Butterfree hovered in the air next to her trainer.

"Alright. Jarvis says that you learned five new moves when you evolved." Ethan grabbed his things plus the empty red chrysalis and moved away from the tree with his two Pokémon close behind.

"Butterfree, show me your gust attack!" Ethan commanded as he pointed to the tree they vacated.

Butterfree flew up to get into position and beat her wings rapidly. The wind picked up and blew towards the tree, whipping the thinner branches around and causing several leaves to fall.

"Not bad for your first try. We'll have to practice to make it powerful. I don't want to try out your spore or powder moves until we have an actual opponent."

"I can help you with that!" an approaching cheery voice said from behind him.

Daisy and her clefairy approached from the patio of the lab. "I saw what you were doing and figured your metapod evolved. She's the prettiest butterfree I've ever seen. I just adore those green eyes!"

Ethan looked at Daisy and noted her _green_ dress and _green_ headband. "I've got the impression that green is your favorite color," Ethan quipped. "You said the same thing about Eevee's eyes yesterday."

Daisy stuck out the tip of her tongue and rubbed her neck. "Well, you've got me there! I'm taking a break and just put on a kettle for tea. Let's have a quick battle – my clefairy versus your butterfree. We'll keep going until one is too tired to continue or the kettle whistles."

"Sure," Ethan agreed. "You up for a battle, Butterfree?"

"Fwee!" Butterfree nodded and took a position in front of Ethan while Clefairy stood before Daisy.

Ethan thought through what he knew about the matchup. Clefairy was a fairy-type. Fairy types are weak to poison and steel, and resist bug. If Butterfree had tinted lens as her ability, that resistance would cancel out. Unfortunately, the current iteration of the pokédex didn't have the capability or data to identify abilities, so they would have to figure that out themselves.

"Butterfree, start things off with string shot. Scatter it around Clefairy's side of the field."

Butterfree spat the sticky thread from her mouth and spread it on the grassy terrain while Clefairy seemingly danced around the string.

"You'll have to do better than that, Ethan!" Daisy said. "Clefairy, use pound!"

"Fly up and rapid-fire string shot. Target Clefairy!"

Clefairy charged and raised a glowing arm. Butterfree tried to hit with the string shot, but her opponent dodged around each one and jumped into the air.

"Quick, switch to gust!" Ethan yelled.

Butterfree frantically flapped her wings and created a current of air. It only slowed the airborne clefairy, and the pound attack still hit its mark, but the blow was weaker thanks to the decreased momentum.

"Butterfree, try a confusion attack. Throw Clefairy back towards Daisy!"

Butterfree righted herself and focused, willing her power to grab the falling clefairy. Clefairy became outlined in a suffused blue glow before being roughly thrown.

"Clefairy! Stick the landing and go in for a double slap!"

Clefairy righted herself and landed on her feet. Her hands began to glow, and she charged only to trip and fall forward. She caught herself on her paws, and only then did she and her trainer realize what happened.

"Oh, that's sneaky, Ethan. Trapping Clefairy in the string shot you laid on the field earlier. Clever!"

"Thanks! Butterfree, stun spore then bug bite!"

Butterfree spread the orange-yellow powder from her wings over the stuck Clefairy, causing it to seize up. She then swooped in.

Daisy smirked and waited for Butterfree to get close. "Clefairy, fire punch!"

Clefairy's right paw burst into flame and burned the sticky string around her, allowing movement once again. Before the surprised Ethan could call off the attack, Clefairy leaped, and her fist made contact with Butterfree's abdomen. Butterfree fell backward and collapsed on the ground a short distance away as a high pitched whistle sounded from inside the lab.

 _Scheisse! Clefairy must have the generation four version of Magic Guard,_ Ethan thought as he and Eevee ran to his fallen Pokémon's side. "Butterfree? Are you okay?"

After a few moments, Butterfree stirred and averted her gaze from Ethan. "Fwee…" she trilled sadly.

Ethan breathed a sigh of relief and rubbed the side of her head. "It's okay, I'm glad you're alright. You've only been a butterfree for what? Ten minutes? And I think you did really well for your first battle. I'm proud of you."

Butterfree's eyes shined at Ethan's praise, and she trilled a happier "Fwee!"

"Good match, Ethan," Daisy yelled as she ran toward the lab. "You're pretty good, and I think you'll go far. Get Butterfree healed up in the rejuvenation machine inside, and then we can have lunch and tea!"

* * *

Ethan recalled Butterfree, and after getting directions and instructions on how to use the machine, he placed her and Clefairy's pokéballs in two of the slots and pushed a button on the device. The display came to life, scanned the pokéballs, and showed that the estimated time to heal would be about nine minutes.

After setting the empty red chrysalis on a nearby table, Ethan walked down the stairs to join Daisy in the kitchen.

"Butterfree will be fine. The machine said it will be several minutes before she's healed, so I thought I'd get food ready for her and Eevee," Ethan told Daisy.

"Can I help?" she asked, "Pokémon groomers have to take some breeder classes, and I picked up a few things about making Pokémon food."

"Sure," Ethan agreed, "Do you have a recipe for Butterfree? I don't have something for her yet. She hasn't eaten since she was a caterpie, so I imagine she's starving for a meal."

"Of course!"

Ethan and Daisy worked in silence as they chopped, diced, and mixed ingredients needed for their Pokémon.

"Ethan, you're leaving tomorrow, right?"

"Mhm."

"Where do you plan to go?"

"My first stop will be Pewter City to win a Boulder badge. After that, I'll head through Mount Moon to Cerulean City for their badge."

Daisy stopped her food prep for a moment and looked at Ethan. "Would you mind if I tagged along with you until Cerulean City? I caught Clefairy at Mount Moon, and I have a feeling she wants to visit. After that, I have to get back to Celadon for my summer semester. I can catch a bus there from Cerulean."

Ethan filled Eevee's bowl with her freshly made food and set it on the ground for her to enjoy, then thought as he watched Eevee eat.

It _would_ be nice talking with someone he could understand. Eevee was great company, but he couldn't have in-depth discussions with her. Plus, there was safety in numbers.

"Sure, I wouldn't mind. I'm sure Eevee would love having Clefairy around for a little while."

"Thank you! It can get boring traveling alone."

* * *

That night, after Ethan's trip to the market to restock his supplies, he sat in the Ketchum residence's front room with Eevee lying against his side. Both were content to sit there and enjoy each other's silent company.

Footsteps sounded from the stairs, and Ethan turned to see Delia holding a small box in her hands. She came around the chair and took a seat.

"Are you all ready to go, Ethan?" Delia asked.

"Yeah. Thanks for letting me stay here, Mrs. Ketchum. I appreciate it."

"Please, just call me Delia," she insisted, "Mrs. Ketchum makes me sound old."

Both humans shared a laugh before Delia set her box on the coffee table. "You said you met Ash in Viridian Forest, and that he was headed to Pewter City. If you see him, will you give him this?" she requested, looking somber. "It's a present for his birthday next month, and he's not going to be around for me to give it to him."

Ethan took the present in his hands. "Sure. It's the least I can do to repay you, and I have a feeling I'm going to run into him again anyway. What's in it?"

Delia put a finger to her mouth and winked. "I'm not telling! That would spoil the surprise."

"I hate not knowing things," Ethan shrugged and yawned, then checked the clock on the wall. "I better head to bed. Daisy and I want to get an early start tomorrow," he said as he stood up and carefully cradled Eevee in one arm, and held the box in the other.

"Good night Delia."

"Sleep well, Ethan."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pokémon Teams:
> 
> Ethan: Eevee (F), Butterfree* (F)
> 
> Daisy exists. I needed another character, and she fit what I needed. It was honestly a spur of the moment thing. Guess we'll see if she plays a further role in the story.
> 
> I'm enjoying my new job! That's why I'm not publishing new chapters every week anymore. I'm going to change my publishing schedule to every 2-3 weeks.
> 
> You know the saying: A delayed game is eventually good, but a rushed game is forever bad. I feel the same thing applies to writing, and I want to make sure each chapter is up to my quality standards.
> 
> Discord Code: FNh6A3e
> 
> Published: August 07, 2020
> 
> Updated: February 21, 2021, Grammar corrections, improved readability, and so on.


	6. Rock N' Roly

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you know that this fic has been out for two months now? Crazy, right? I didn't think it would gain this much of a following in so short a time. Thank you for your reads and reviews. Enjoy!

**Chapter 6**

**Rock 'N Roly**

_"This is a KSL 5 news bulletin update. It has been three weeks since an underground cavern collapse in Snow Canyon State Park forced the closure of the lava tube exploration experience._

_"Twenty-six-year-old Utah resident Ethan Dust, who was exploring the caves at the time of the collapse, is still missing. Washington County's Sheriff's Department states every effort is being made to stabilize the cave, and that the search and rescue operation will commence once it is safe to do so._

_"In other news, school districts across Salt Lake and Utah Counties are_ still _deciding how to reopen schools this fall to minimize the spread of—"_

Mr. Dust shut off the television and slowly stood from his chair, his back aching from old injuries. His son's disappearance had been hard on him and his wife, not to mention the rest of their adult children and extended family.

Mr. and Mrs. Dust were still grateful that the rest of the group that had been with Ethan had escaped. Ethan's friend TJ told them that he couldn't exactly remember what happened. He and the group were making their way to catch up with Ethan, and the next thing they knew, the cave in front of them collapsed. He made the hard decision to leave Ethan behind to get the teens of the group and himself to safety.

"Anything?" asked a somber Mrs. Dust when her husband made it up the stairs.

"Not yet," Mr. Dust sighed, "They can't start searching until they make sure they can get search and rescue through safely."

Mrs. Dust nodded slowly and turned back to preparing dinner. She cried all her tears over the past few weeks was emotionally spent. "I hope he's alright. I've prayed and prayed that he would be kept safe and alive…"

Mr. Dust hobbled over and held her in his arms, planting a kiss on top of her head. She returned the hug, a fresh wave of tears staining his 'Retired US Army Veteran' t-shirt.

It didn't matter to him how many times they had done this. When she couldn't be strong for herself, he would be strong for the both of them.

* * *

The sound of sobbing awoke Eevee and she looked at her trainer with concern. Ever since they left Pallet Town, Ethan started crying in his sleep some nights, but he always seemed okay when he woke up.

Eevee crawled into his sleeping bag and slipped into his arms. It was a little cramped with both of them in there, but she didn't mind.

Ethan's breathing evened as Eevee snuggled against his chest. She licked the salty tears on his cheek as they fell, and after another few minutes, he was sleeping peacefully again.

Twilight began to brighten the sky. Ethan usually got up around this time to get ready for the day to make the most of traveling with the sun.

Ethan's watch began beeping, and he stirred. Eevee quickly put her head and ears down and closed her eyes.

He silenced the alarm and groaned as he came into consciousness. He felt the bundle of warmth against his chest and rubbed Eevee's back, smiling. "Time to get up, Eevee."

Eevee cracked opened her eyes, made a show of yawning, and stepped out of the sleeping bag.

Ethan wormed his way out and slowly stood, reaching for the sky as he shook off some more drowsiness. He then grabbed his tactical bag from his satchel and put it on.

Daisy was still fast asleep near the remains of the dead fire. He grabbed Butterfree's pokéball and quietly walked to the nearby river and out of sight of their campground with Eevee close behind him.

Ethan tapped the release on the pokéball, and Butterfree materialized. "Morning, you two. Get some water and do whatever you need to do to wake up. Warm-up starts in five minutes."

Eevee and Butterfree cried an affirmation and began going through their morning routines. Ethan knelt over the river and splashed his face, sending a chill through his body. Nothing shocks you awake quite like freezing river water.

He and Daisy had left Pallet Town a week ago, and they were only a few hours away from Pewter City. With any luck, he would win his badge today and move on to Mount Moon without needing to stay the night. The full moon was only three days away, which Ethan predicted was when the wild clefairy would hold their ceremony around the giant Moon Stone.

Ethan and his Pokémon worked hard this past week. In the twilight hours, every morning and evening, they would train. Eevee became proficient in both swift and shadow ball but hadn't yet mastered them. She seemed to pick up special attacks slower than physical attacks.

After they entered the Viridian Forest, Ethan started to have Eevee work on strengthening her tail in preparation for iron tail by tying on some rocks and walking with them while they traveled. As she became accustomed to the weight, he added a little more.

To make sure she wasn't too off-balance, he added some weight to her back to counter the weight on her tail. She surprisingly took to this style of training whole-heartedly. Ethan made a mental note to buy some weighted gear for him and his Pokémon.

Butterfree took most of the week to get used to her new body and train the moves she already knew. She was flying much faster, her gust was much more powerful, and she had learned whirlwind. How she didn't blow herself back with the winds she stirred up was a mystery that Ethan was sure had something to do with anime physics.

"Okay, girls, line up!" Ethan ordered as he stood. Eevee dashed and sat a few feet in front of Ethan, a serious look on her face. Butterfree landed and stood beside her. Both gave him their undivided attention.

"Today's the day we take on the Pewter City gym! We've been training hard all week for this, and I have every confidence we can win, even with our type disadvantage."

He looked down at his first Pokémon. "Eevee," he said, "no weights today. I need you in top condition." Eevee gave a mock salute like she had seen Ethan do before.

Ethan disguised a chuckle as a cough as he walked back to the campground and looked around. There were a few other trainers scattered around the clearing, either still asleep or just stirring. "Eevee and I will start with fifteen laps around the edge of the clearing. Butterfree, I want you to fly laps as fast as you can until Eevee and I finish ours. Let's go!"

At that, the three began their warm-up. Ethan decided after leaving Viridian City earlier that week that he should probably train too. He theorized that if he were ever to make progress with his aura, he'd have to train his body and mind. The thought of what he might be able to do with aura was a big motivator. Gaining and keeping the respect of his Pokémon was another.

After twenty minutes, Ethan and Eevee stopped by the river to catch their breath before stretching their warmed-up limbs. When Ethan felt limber enough, he helped Eevee stretch in ways she couldn't easily manage on her own, like how someone would help a dog back in his world stretch their limbs.

"Okay. Time to get to training," Ethan said when they finished. "Eevee, your most effective moves for this gym will be double kick and iron tail. I want you to find a good tree and practice. I'll check on your progress soon."

"Eev-vee!" Eevee nodded and padded to her chosen tree, staying within sight.

"Butterfree, we'll start with meditation." Ethan sat cross-legged and opened his tactical bag, pulled out Sir Aaron's gloves, and put them on. The crystals on the gloves pulsed with a barely perceptible glow before going dim again.

"Sit across from me, and we'll begin. Clear your mind and focus on feeling the different energies in your body. I want to see if we can teach you energy ball or electroweb before we get to Cerulean City," he said. "Remember the energy you felt from Pikachu's electric shocks and see if you can find your dormant electric-type energy. I think you'll have an easier time finding your grass-type energy for energy ball since you know a couple of grass-type moves already."

Ethan was guessing how energy worked, but it seemed to be producing results with his Pokémon so far. He had seen enough Avatar: The Last Airbender to guess that energy here worked similarly to Guru Pathik's explanation of chakras, where different pools of energy are located in different parts of the body.

Butterfree's eyes glazed over as if focusing on something unseen. Ethan closed his eyes, brought his fists together, and breathed slowly. Meditation was still new to him, and he was going off what little he knew about it and what Daisy told him about the subject.

"Clear your mind," he instructed, "Focus on your breathing. Once you have your rhythm, feel where the energies in your body are located. Identify each one until you find the energy you are looking for, then immerse yourself in it."

Once he got Butterfree started, he turned his focus inward. He had tried meditation a couple of times with Eevee, but she didn't have the patience for it, and she was doing well enough without it for now.

He settled into his rhythm and began to search for something, anything that felt different than expected. He remembered the intense heat he had felt before his transformation into a young adolescent and how it burned him from the inside. The burning feeling had been most intense in the center of his chest, either in or near his heart.

. . .

The sun's beams eventually penetrated the canopy of the trees from the east, and Ethan came out of his meditation. That went somewhat better than it usually did. He didn't find what he was looking for, but he felt he was getting better at meditation.

"Alright, Butterfree, I want you to go to the river and practice your confusion by holding as much water in the air as you can in a sphere until you start to feel a strain, then hold it for as long as you can. We'll start working on electroweb after this gym battle," Ethan promised, "I'll check on you when I finish checking on Eevee."

Butterfree nodded and took off for the river. Ethan grimaced as he stood, favoring one leg as he felt the pinpricks of the other having fallen asleep. He limped his way to Eevee, his walking returning to normal as his leg woke up.

As he approached, he was pleased to see the notable tail and paw-sized dents in the poor tree. Eevee was a short distance away, preparing for another go.

"Hey, Eevee," Ethan called as he approached, "How's your iron tail coming along? Are you able to keep your tail charged with the steel-type energy?"

Eevee glanced at Ethan before turning her focus to her tail. After a few seconds, her tail gleamed with a silvery, metallic sheen. She then dashed on all fours to her chosen tree victim. When she was within range, she pivoted on her front paws and let her momentum and added weight of her hardened tail spin her around, striking the tree with a loud thunk, causing wooden splinters to explode off the tree and some leaves to fall to the ground.

Ethan whistled appreciatively at the display. "That's awesome, Eevee! You'll have iron tail mastered in no time! With more practice, you won't even have to think about it. It'll all be muscle memory."

Eevee managed to smile through her labored breathing, glad that her friend thought so highly of her.

Ethan returned her smile and turned around as he beckoned Eevee to follow him. "I don't want to wear you out before the gym. Let's get you some water and keep Butterfree company while she practices confusion. I'm going to get a little more exercise before breakfast."

* * *

After morning training and a meal, Ethan and Daisy packed and cleaned up camp, refilled their canteens, and continued to Pewter City.

"So Ethan," Daisy said, "Are you excited for your first gym battle?"

Ethan hummed in thought before returning his gaze forward. "Honestly, I'm kind of nervous. This will be my first official battle. All the ones I've had so far will probably be nothing compared to what I'm going to face. No offense."

"None taken. Gym leaders aren't your everyday trainer. You've been training pretty hard, so you should give yourself a little more credit," she encouraged, "You'll be fine! Gramps always said that if you're nervous, your Pokémon will feel the same way."

"I know, I know… I'm sure I'll be fine when we get there," Ethan said before changing the subject. "I'm going to stop by the Pokémon Center first to top off Eevee and Butterfree. After my win, I'll freshen up at the Center, restock our supplies, and then we'll move right on to Mount Moon."

"Yes! I'd love a hot shower!" Daisy said as she combed her fingers through her hair.

"River baths just don't cut it, do they?"

"Eevee eev!" Eevee chimed in her agreement.

Ethan reached up to his shoulder to scratch Eevee behind the ears. "I guess you'll be wanting a bath too, huh Eevee?"

Eevee nodded and leaned into his hand. Ethan gave her a warm bath in Rota before they left, and she found that she loved the temperature and the feeling of being cleaned. She also started becoming somewhat vain about her appearance once she discovered mirrors.

Daisy giggled at the display of affection. "You two are just too cute together! It makes me want to get an eevee of my own."

"Go for it," Ethan recommended, "But you'll never find an eevee like mine."

The three laughed as they exited the forest and turned northeast towards Pewter City. It was great to be able to have a conversation with someone.

* * *

After a trip to the Pokémon Center, Ethan stood in front of the Pewter Gym. Eevee stood by his side, pawing the ground eagerly.

Daisy would join up with them later. The chance to shower and freshen up was too tempting for her to put off, so she encouraged Ethan to go without her and challenge the gym.

Ethan exhaled slowly. "Now or never, Eevee. Time to see if Brock's still here," he said, stepping towards the gym doors and pushing them open.

"Ethan? It's you!" a familiar squinty-eyed girl said as Ethan closed the door behind him.

"Hi, Yolanda. I'm finally challenging the gym! Is Brock around?" Ethan asked.

Yolanda shook her head as she came around the reception desk. "Brock left yesterday to join a trainer named Ash on a journey. We'll miss him, but he deserves to pursue his dream of becoming a Pokémon Breeder."

Ethan nodded. So he had barely missed his chance to battle Brock. Now he had no idea what kind of challenge he would be facing.

"Good for him. Brock's a great guy," he said, "Who's taking on challengers now?"

Her face soured. "My _father_ runs the gym now. It's his first day back as a gym leader. You better beat him!"

"Well, I don't have plans to lose. I need to win then get back on the road," Ethan said, looking at the doors that separated the waiting room from the battlefield.

Ethan paused, then looked back at Yolanda. "Is your father in there already or do we need to let him know I'm here?"

"I'll go get him. You can wait at the challenger's box inside," she replied, indicating the doors where Ethan was just looking.

Eevee was already at the door, grunting as she tried to push it open.

The two humans chuckled at her antics. "Better hurry," said Ethan, "As you can see, we're eager to get started."

* * *

The large doors on the other side of the arena groaned as they opened. Ethan stood from his crouched position on the ground with Butterfree and Eevee and turned to face the approaching man.

The man was a taller, older version of Brock. His hair was a brown-gray, and the sleeves of his yellow t-shirt were rolled up to his shoulders, exposing the defined muscles of his tanned arms.

Flint's hardened gaze locked onto Ethan, and he slowly approached, his footsteps echoing loudly in the comparatively quiet gym. All nine of his children filed in through the door and moved upstairs to spectate the upcoming match.

Ethan's heartbeat became more and more audible to him as Flint closed the distance between them. He tensed in his mixed nervousness and excitement for the upcoming battle.

Flint came to a stop a few feet away, his expression of stone still boring into Ethan, who did his best to betray no emotion.

Flint then spoke. "Who are you, and what do you want with my daughter?" he demanded.

Ethan's face broke into a look of confused surprise, then laughed as he understood what Flint was asking.

"Daaad!" Yolanda yelled exasperatedly from the spectator area, "I told you, he's just a friend!"

"She's telling the truth, Mr. Harrison. I'm just here to challenge you for the Boulder Badge," Ethan explained, "Nothing more."

Flint studied Ethan for a moment more, then nodded.

"Very well. How many badges do you have?"

"None. This is my first gym battle."

"Then we will use two Pokémon each."

Flint hummed in thought, then looked up at the spectator area. "Forrest, did Brock train you how to judge matches?"

"Uhh, yeah, he did," Forrest replied.

"Then come take your place on the field."

Flint turned around, walked to a panel at the other end of the room, and pushed a button. The ground rumbled as unseen machinery opened the roll-up doors on either side of the gym, and the rocky battlefield moved into position.

After the battlefield was in place, Forrest took his place on a tall, flat rock on the side of the field.

Once Flint was in his box, he nodded to Forrest and enlarged the great ball he held in his hand.

"The Pewter City gym battle between the gym leader, Flint Harrison, and the challenger, Ethan Dust from Rota Town is about to begin!" Forrest announced, "The format of this battle is one-on-one, and each side is permitted to use two Pokémon. The match will be decided when both of either sides Pokémon are unable to battle, or one side forfeits. Only the challenger may substitute Pokémon. Are both trainers ready?"

Ethan took a deep breath as he and Flint nodded.

Forrest raised his arms. "Then let the battle begin!"

"Go, Rolycoly!" Flint yelled as he threw his great ball. The ball burst open and a small, rubbly black and gray Pokémon with a single red-orange eye formed on the rocky field.

Ethan's eyes widened in surprise. "Where did you get a Rolycoly? That's a Galarian Pokémon!"

"Oh? So you know what a Rolycoly is. So much for the element of surprise. Yes, I caught him in the Galar region a few months ago when I was trying to get endorsed for their gym challenge," Flint said.

_Has to be a rock type. I never played gen 8, so I don't know what moves it can use. It's only got one eye that I can see, so it probably lacks depth perception,_ Ethan speculated as he scanned Rolycoly with his pokédex and took a photo using its camera. He would submit Rolycoly's data to Professor Oak's database for review later.

Ethan looked to his right. "Butterfree, you're up first," he said. Butterfree trilled and flew into position over the field. Gasps and hushed whispers echoed from the spectator walkway above.

"Eeveeeev!" Eevee whined.

"Don't worry, Eevee. I'm saving you for his second Pokémon. Gym leaders always save their stronger Pokémon for later," Ethan assured her.

Eevee huffed and sat, appeased for the moment. She _did_ want to battle the stronger Pokémon.

"Ethan, you may have the first move!" Flint called.

"Thanks! Butterfree, start with string shot like we planned!" Ethan directed.

Butterfree nodded and spat the sticky string at her opponent, wrapping it up.

"Yes! Now fly over and use stun spore!"

"Rolycoly, raise your body temperature. Burn the string away!"

The coals on Rolycoly's back turned a cherry red as if a fire stoked under them, and the strings burned and shriveled away. A cloud of thick smoke grew and concealed it from view.

_A coal Pokémon? So does that make it a fire type too?_ Ethan wondered.

Butterfree looked around, trying to locate her missing opponent.

"Butterfree, blow the smoke away with gust, then prepare a confusion attack."

"Fwee!" Butterfree acknowledged as she buzzed her wings to dispel the smoke.

"Now, Rolycoly, use smack down!"

"Deflect it with confusion!" Ethan yelled.

Butterfree began to gather her psychic power but made the mistake of holding still. A rock flew from the smoke and smacked Butterfree, stunning and knocking her to the ground.

_Verdammt! That was an extremely effective attack. She can't take another hit like that. Having only one eye doesn't lower Rolycoly's accuracy at all!_ Ethan analyzed. Butterfree stood and shook her head.

"Rolycoly, rapid spin attack!"

"Butterfree, use a gust and stun spore combination and aim it right under you!"

Rolycoly rapidly approached using its wheel-like underside and started to spin. Butterfree channeled the air in a current under her as she flapped her wings and propelled herself upward, saturating the air with the orange spores and scattering them across a short radius of the field.

Rolycoly spun right through Butterfree's previous spot and seized up, the stun spore taking effect.

"Now's your chance! Use confusion and knock it out!"

"Smack down!" Flint desperately yelled.

It was no use. Butterfree trapped Rolycoly in her psychic grip, lifted her opponent into the air, and hurled it into the ground repeatedly before releasing the now-unconscious rock-type. Her breathing was labored, and an ugly bruise formed where she was struck.

Forrest studied the outcome for a moment, then raised his left arm. "Rolycoly is unable to battle. Butterfree wins the first round!"

"Great job Butterfree! Take a break. Do you want to rest in your pokéball or watch Eevee's fight?" Ethan asked.

Butterfree shook her head and landed next to Eevee. She trilled a few silent words to her, who nodded before taking a position on the field. Butterfree flew up to the spectator area to watch the match from a better point of view.

"Okay then," Ethan said as he shrunk her ball and pocketed it.

"Ethan has chosen to substitute in Eevee as his second Pokémon," Forrest announced.

Cheering echoed from above. "Go, Eevee! You can do it!"

Eevee looked up at the eight Harrison siblings and flashed a grin before refocusing on the upcoming round.

"Flint, send out your final Pokémon!"

Flint expanded the pokéball in his hand. "This Pokémon is the kid of one of my toughest Pokémon. Go, Rhyhorn!"

The Spikes Pokémon formed from the white light of the pokéball and stamped its foot, roaring for all to hear.

Eevee set her face in a determined frown. Ethan was right, Flint _did_ save his stronger Pokémon for the last round.

Forrest raised his arms, signaling the start of the round. "Begin!"

"Rhyhorn, take down attack!"

"Eevee, dodge at the last moment then use double kick."

Eevee widened her stance to steady herself as the Rhyhorn charged, its steps shaking the earth each time it stomped its feet. She prepared her hind legs for the double kick attack, hopped to her right, and jumped off a boulder into the air. The Rhyhorn passed harmlessly under her and put on the brakes.

At the apex of her jump, she reoriented herself and performed a front flip, coming down feet first and kicked Rhyhorn in the back once, then twice before bouncing back and landing on the same boulder she jumped off.

Rhyhorn roared again, but this time in pain from the super-effective attack.

"You can take that, Rhyhorn. Use earthquake!"

"Eevee, quick! Use iron tail to jump into the air!"

Eevee focused, trying to prepare the iron tail as fast as she could. Rhyhorn reared up on its hind legs and stomped the ground with its front feet, causing the earth to tremble. Eevee lost her footing and tumbled from the rock she stood on. Ethan caught himself, bending his knees to try and absorb the shockwaves of the attack.

The quaking slowly subsided, and Eevee shakily stood, blood trickling from her nose.

"Are you okay, Eevee?" Ethan asked in concern.

Eevee snorted and spat a globule of blood to the side.

"Rhyhorn, let's finish this up. Fury Attack!"

"Eevee, shadow ball!"

Eevee opened her maw and gathered the energy needed for the attack. Some blood leaking from her nose turned into a dark, wispy substance and fed the forming attack. That didn't go unnoticed.

_What the hell? Does blood fuel ghost-type moves? I better ask the professor next time I call,_ Ethan thought.

"Eevee, let 'er rip!"

Eevee fired the shadow ball directly at Rhyhorn. An explosion shook the battlefield as the attack hit the charging Pokémon, covering it in smoke.

Ethan closed his eyes and strained his ears, trying to find out if the Rhyhorn was still moving. His eyes widened.

"Detect!"

Rhyhorn charged out of the haze of smoke, a little slower than before, and managed to hit Eevee once before she successfully activated the defensive move.

Eevee moved right, down, right, then did a backflip to avoid the rest of the multi-hit move. Rhyhorn was breathing heavily, while Eevee was only doing a little better.

"Eevee, one more attack and we win. Use another double kick!"

Ethan would have finished with an iron tail, but the charge time on it was still too long, and he didn't want to risk Rhyhorn recovering in time to counter.

Eevee ran around a rock to Rhyhorn's flank. She charged her hind legs with the fighting-type energy, then spun around and rammed them into her opponent's side at the same time, causing a decently sized crack in its armor.

"Rhyhorn, no!" Flint yelled.

Rhyhorn's cry of pain faded into whimpers as the force of the double kick rolled it onto its side, and it fell limp.

Silence reigned for several moments before Forrest called the match. "Rhyhorn is unable to battle. Eevee wins, and the match goes to Ethan!"

Ethan fell to his knees and sighed in relief as Eevee's cheering section celebrated her victory. That was the most challenging battle he had had to date.

He looked up to Butterfree, who was gliding back down, then to Eevee, who was also making her way to him. His heart swelled with pride, and he wiped away tears that were beginning to form.

When both of his Pokémon were close enough, he pulled them into his arms. "You girls did great. I'm proud of you both. Thanks for battling with me."

Eevee wrestled out of his arms, jumped onto his shoulder, and nuzzled his cheek, making herself comfortable. Butterfree trilled contentedly, then hovered by his other shoulder as Flint came into Ethan's field of vision.

Flint's gaze softened as he offered a hand to Ethan. Ethan accepted his hand and let Flint pull him to his feet.

"Good match, Ethan. Now I see why my children were so excited to see you."

Ethan chuckled. "I think they were here for Eevee. She was pretty popular when we stayed the night a few weeks ago."

"Come to think of it, they did talk more about the eevee than the trainer," Flint mused. "Regardless, you have beaten me."

Flint reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, polished gray octagon. "This is the Boulder Badge. It is proof of your victory in the Pewter City gym. Take it."

Ethan accepted the badge and held it so Eevee and Butterfree could see what their hard work earned them.

"Thank you," Ethan said, "Check it out, girls. Just seven more to go, then we can enter the Indigo Conference."

Eevee leaned forward and sniffed the trinket in her trainer's hand. She smelled the coppery scent of blood and remembered that her nose was still bleeding.

Ethan pulled out a badge case from his satchel, pinned his new badge in the first slot, and stowed it away.

"Good luck on the rest of your journey," Flint said before walking away.

Ethan took in the condition of his Pokémon and winced at what he saw. "Let's get you two to the Pokémon Center."

Ethan and his Pokémon said their goodbyes to the Harrison family and departed.

* * *

After Ethan dropped his Pokémon off with Nurse Joy, he met up with Daisy, got a key to the room she rented, took a shower, and started a load of laundry. He then went to the nearby market and restocked his food and supplies.

He was surprised to find that he received a stipend from the league for his victory at the Pewter Gym. The extra cash would be nice. He decided to purchase a few weighted training harnesses for his Pokémon and a weighted vest for himself, purchasing them using the credits that Professor Oak deposited into his trainer account.

As part of Professor Oak's sponsorship, all his trainer and Pokémon-related expenses are covered, within reason. The professor would deposit a lump sum of credits to his trainer account each month, and all Ethan had to do was keep track of his expenses. Any spending beyond that allotment would come out of his reserves. If being jobless through a pandemic back home had taught him anything, it was how to be frugal.

He was now back in his room at the Pokémon Center, drying Eevee off after giving her the bath he promised. The hairdryer made her fur stand out in all directions.

Ethan laughed and wished he had his phone. "C'mon Eevee. Let's see if we can tame your fur."

Ethan carried her into the bedroom and set her on his lap, where she made herself comfortable. He pulled out a brush and began brushing down her fur like Daisy had taught him during their trek through Viridian forest.

Butterfree was on a nearby bed, resting after her spot-cleaning courtesy of her trainer. Since she couldn't allow her wings to get wet for long periods, Ethan cleaned her by wiping her down with a warm, damp towel.

"You know, I really am proud of you two. You battled remarkably well," Ethan praised. "I feel like it's my fault you got hurt. I realized partway through the battle that our training was focused so much on offense and power, that I completely spaced working on defense. I'm going to fix that before we get to the Cerulean gym. I think I'll start mixing in defense and evasion training with what we're already doing."

Eevee nodded along with whatever Ethan just said. She was in such a state of bliss that she couldn't be bothered to utter a single word.

A knock at the door broke the silence. "Ethan, you in there?"

"Door's unlocked."

The knob turned, and Daisy walked in carrying a sack. "Your clothes finished drying, so I brought them in here for you."

"Oh, uh, thank you. Just put them on the bed there. I'll finish packing when I'm done with Eevee."

"You're doing a good job with that brush," Daisy praised as she set the sack down. "How soon do you want to leave?"

"I think we'll leave after I'm all packed and we have lunch. I'm glad that I got the badge on the first try."

"It's always a good feeling when you win. I remember getting my first contest ribbon. It felt like I was on top of the world, as cliché as that sounds."

"Very cliché," Ethan snickered. "Anything else you need to do while we're here?"

"I don't think so."

Ethan nodded, inspected his handiwork, and nodded again. "Okay, Eevee. You're all pretty again! I just got to pack, and then I'll feed you."

"Eev, Eeveev!" Eevee said as she nudged his chest, then jumped onto the bed to rest near Butterfree.

Ethan kneeled over his things and began packing. "How about you wait in the lobby, Daisy. I'll be down in a few minutes."

"Sure! I'll call gramps while I wait. He'll want to know that you earned your first badge."

Daisy left and closed the door behind her. Ethan smiled and began humming the Pokémon theme song as he folded and stuffed his clothes into his bag. Today had been a great day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and sticking with me this far into my story. Please leave a review. Those always make my day and give me some extra motivation to write.
> 
> So, my uncle passed away last week after suffering through Multiple System Atrophy for the past several years. I'm pretty sad about it, but glad that he's no longer suffering. I'm going to give myself a week-long break from writing to grieve and go to the funeral before I return to writing, so the next chapter will probably be delayed. I have most of chapter 7 written, but it's not complete yet.
> 
> Discord Code: FNh6A3e
> 
> Published: August 24, 2020
> 
> Updated: February 21, 2021, Grammar corrections, improved readability, and so on.


	7. Mount Moon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, I'm back! Thanks for waiting. I really needed that extra time after the funeral to finish the chapter and get most of the next one done.
> 
> I've created a discord for those interested in joining. The invite code is FNh6A3e

**Chapter 7**

**Mount Moon**

"Ethan and Daisy, your Pokémon are ready for pickup at the front desk," Nurse Joy announced over the intercom.

"Well, that's our cue. Ready to hit the road again?"

The trainers stood from their table, having finished a late-morning breakfast, and left their trays at the dish return window where a chansey eagerly accepted them. They had arrived at the Mount Moon Pokémon Center that morning to heal their Pokémon and get a warm meal.

"Yep! I'm all set," Daisy replied. "We're not far from Mount Moon. We'll be there in a few hours."

"Good," Ethan said as they exited the cafeteria. "I'm looking forward to going through the tunnels. I've always liked exploring caves."

"Why is that?"

He looked at the tiled ceiling in thought as he placed his hands behind his head. "I'm… not sure. I just like spelunking. I've found cave drawings and carvings before, though most of it's just graffiti."

"Spelunking? Is that even a word?"

"Of course it is! Spelunking is what you're doing when you explore a cave system."

Daisy shrugged. "To each their own. I don't like being underground for too long. I prefer being able to see the sky."

Ethan nodded and stopped at the patient pickup station at the front desk. He presented his ID to Nurse Joy to verify his identity, with Daisy mimicking his action.

"Thank you, Ethan and Daisy. Here are your Pokémon. We hope to see you again!" Nurse Joy said with a practiced smile.

Ethan and Daisy gave their thanks and accepted their pokéballs, then turned to the exit. Halfway to the door, Daisy spotted a familiar boy walking into the lobby from the lodging hall, covering his mouth as he yawned.

"Hey, Ash! Long time, no see!" Daisy shouted as she closed the distance to the raven-haired trainer and pulled him into a hug, drawing a surprised yelp. Pikachu had the right idea to jump away.

"D-sy? C-n't Br-th! St-p, pl-se!" Ash gasped and fruitlessly struggled as Misty and Brock walked into the scene of Ash getting the life squeezed out of him. Misty cocked a brow while a red-faced Brock had steam coming out of his ears and nose.

_I should have expected to run into them today_ , Ethan thought, surprised. _And how the hell is Brock doing that?_

"Pika, pika pika-chu, Pikapi?" Pikachu worriedly asked.

"Daisy, let him go before he dies of asphyxiation," Ethan cried as he walked over.

Daisy released her death grip, and Ash fell to the floor, sucking in greedy gulps of air. "Sorry about that, Ash. I just haven't seen you in months!"

Brock hopped over Ash and knelt before Daisy. "There's no need to be sorry, my beautiful flower! My name is Brock. I'd like to take you out to dinner and get to know you a little better. My treat!"

An empathetic sigh could be heard from the front desk.

"Uh, n-nice to meet you, Brock," Daisy stuttered.

"If he's the one making a meal, I'd give it a shot. His cooking is on par with Delia's," Ethan encouraged.

"Hold it!" Ash confusedly cried out. "Ethan, what are you doing here? And why is Daisy with you? And how do you know my mom?"

"Hello to you too, Ash," Ethan greeted as he rolled his eyes. "Your mom let me stay in her home for a few nights when I visited Pallet Town. Daisy and I are traveling together because she and her clefairy want to visit Mount Moon. _I'm_ on my way to Cerulean City to challenge the Cerulean Gym for their badge. We thought we might as well travel together until she finds a bus that'll take her to Celadon."

Misty tensed at the mention of the Cerulean Gym, which went mostly unnoticed.

"Huh? Are you taking on the gyms too? Do you have any badges?" Ash asked.

"Yup," Ethan replied, emphasizing the p, "I challenged the Pewter gym a few days ago and won the Boulder Badge. It was a tough battle, but my Pokémon pulled through."

Brock got to his feet, only now noticing Ethan was there. "Hey Ethan! So you battled my father, huh? How did he do?" he asked.

"Flint didn't make it easy. He even had a Pokémon I wasn't expecting to see in Kanto. Eevee and Butterfree each battled a Pokémon, and they won."

Misty whistled, impressed. "Wow, so your metapod evolved, _and_ you actually knocked out your opponent's Pokémon to earn your badge? Sounds like you're a _much_ better trainer than a certain someone I know," she said, making a not-so-subtle jab.

"Hey! I earned my badge too!" Ash protested.

"True, but _you_ didn't earn it by knock-out," Misty teased.

"C'mon you two. If Ash really wants to, he can challenge Brock again later," Ethan sighed. "Since you three are here, that means you're planning on heading through Mount Moon. Why don't we travel as a group of five? Safety in numbers and all that stuff."

Ash, Brock, and Misty looked at each other as if having a silent discussion.

"Sounds like a great idea!" Brock chimed in with a blush as he held back a giggle.

"Great! How soon can you be ready? Daisy and I are ready to go."

* * *

Ethan waited outside while his three new traveling companions quickly ate and prepared to leave. Daisy decided to help, and Pikachu opted to join Ethan outside after his meal to avoid the scramble of packing bags inside.

"Hey Pikachu, how have you been doing since I last saw you?" Ethan asked the mouse Pokémon as he scratched him between the ears.

"Pikapi pika pi, pi-pichu ka-pi Pi-cha!" Pikachu animatedly exclaimed with a smile, leaning into Ethan's hand.

"Sounds like you're pretty happy. That's good!" Ethan laughed as he grabbed Eevee's and Butterfree's pokéballs. "Eevee, Butterfree, come hang out while we wait for the slowpokes!"

The two Pokémon materialized, and Pikachu walked over to greet them. Eevee barked excitedly and play-tackled Pikachu, drawing squealing laughter from them both.

Butterfree decided to sit with Ethan.

"Don't want to play, Butterfree? That's fine. Remember Ash's metapod? He's probably evolved into a butterfree by now. You can meet him later if you want," Ethan suggested as he rubbed her head.

Butterfree thought about it, then nodded before leaning against his side.

Ethan observed how Butterfree was so relaxed, listened to Pikachu's and Eevee's playful giggling, and smiled. He appreciated little moments like this where he could just be close to his Pokémon and see them enjoying themselves.

After a few moments, he looked at Mount Moon's mountainous peaks. He knew what was coming up, though he didn't know how his and Daisy's presence might change things.

Just his presence alone might alter events. How much could he change things? Should he try and stop Team Rocket from tailing Ash all the time?

Ethan shook his head. It probably wouldn't do any good to try and stop the Team Rocket trio from following Ash, at least until after they lose all credibility with Giovanni. Which, if he remembered correctly, happened after the failed heist on the St. Anne.

Did he _really_ want to travel with Ash? On the one hand, Ash will meet and become involved in some plot or another with almost every legendary Pokémon he comes within several hundred miles of, which could lead to some clue to home. On the other hand, he would have to put up with 'season one' Ash.

The aura adept sighed. If he had to choose between going it alone or having companions that frequently ran into danger, he would travel with companions that frequently ran into danger.

In addition to his own Pokémon, the company of Daisy had been a boon in helping him from the sinking despair of his seemingly heavy burden. He didn't want to be alone.

Two new weights on his lap pulled Ethan out of his thoughts, and he looked down to see Eevee's and Pikachu's eyes looking into his own. Eevee licked the back of his hand then looked at him pleadingly.

"Eev Eeveev?"

Ethan's smile returned. He delicately scratched her and Pikachu behind their ears, drawing a pleased "Veeeee…" and "Chaaaa…" respectively, as they melted into puddles of brown and yellow fur.

The doors of the Pokémon Center opened, and Brock and Ash stepped outside, packed and ready to go. They quickly spotted Ethan thanks to Eevee's loud purring. Ash saw the Pokémon on his lap, and his eyes widened.

"What are you doing to Pikachu?!" Ash demanded.

"What does it look like?" Ethan retorted, "Most Pokémon love it when you scratch or rub them in the right places." He demonstrated this by carefully rubbing Pikachu's red cheeks like he had seen a few times in the anime, and Pikachu somehow melted further.

"Oh, um, okay," Ash said as he rubbed the back of his head. "I didn't know that."

Ethan simply shrugged. "Where's Misty and Daisy?"

Brock cleared his throat, red tinging his dark cheeks. "They'll be out in a few minutes. They're probably talking about girl things."

Ethan nodded and pushed himself to his feet, prompting Butterfree to hover in the air. He lowered Eevee to the ground and handed Pikachu off to Ash. The mouse clambered to the top of Ash's backpack to settle in for a nap.

"You know, maybe I'll catch a pikachu of my own someday," Ethan said to himself. He opened his satchel and pulled out a couple of small weighted harnesses and a weighted vest.

"Line up, girls! It's time to put on the weights."

"Weights?" Ash and Brock echoed.

Eevee pulled herself up from the ground as Butterfree landed next to her. Ethan held out the harnesses. After a second, they became outlined in a blue glow as Butterfree used her psychic powers to fit herself and Eevee.

Eevee and Butterfree flexed their limbs, testing their harnesses' fit while Ethan slipped his vest on.

"I get it now!" Brock said, "You're building up their speed, strength, and stamina while we walk!"

Ethan snapped his fingers and pointed at Brock. "Yep! And it's not just them," he said, then tested his arms' range of motion.

"They don't look that heavy," Ash remarked as the Pokémon Center doors opened again, and Daisy and Misty walked out.

Ethan shouldered his bag and stood. "Well, this training isn't to see how much weight you can carry, but to see how long you can carry the extra weight. I'll add more weight as we get used to them so it stays challenging."

"Sorry if we kept you waiting," Daisy announced. "Everyone ready to go?"

* * *

"So, wait, how do you know everyone already?" Daisy asked Ethan as they walked up the inclined path.

"I met Brock," Ethan said as he pointed at him, "during my first visit to Pewter City. He let me stay the night at his home because the Pokémon Center was booked by greenhorn trainers. His food is among the greatest I've ever had. I would seriously consider taking him up on his offer to dinner."

Brock nodded a silent thanks.

"I met Ash when Eevee, Butterfree, who was a caterpie at the time, and I saved him and his metapod from a swarm of beedrill. We had a battle afterward. I was winning but decided to be merciful when Caterpie evolved."

"Eevee eev!" Eevee chirped to Butterfree, getting a chittering giggle in response.

"String shot's a cheap move," Ash huffed, "I still think you cheated. Pikachu couldn't move right when he got hit with that string shot."

Ethan rolled his eyes. "Ash, that's what string shot does. Pikachu relies on his tail to maintain his balance and aim electric attacks. I just stuck his tail to his back to throw you two off. 'Cheap moves' are still strategy. Besides, Pikachu landed a good thundershock or two before that."

Ethan moved on before Ash could offer a rebuttal. "Anyway, I met Misty at the same time I met Ash. We haven't talked much yet."

"Huh, you're right. We'll have to fix that," Misty realized.

"Yeah, if you want to get to know her temper," Ash muttered.

"What did you say?!"

"You heard me!"

"Ugh, stop that! I'm surprised Pikachu can sleep through all your banter," Ethan snapped.

"Like trainer, like Pokémon," Misty giggled, her mood doing a complete one-eighty.

A voice-cracking scream of fear interrupted the conversation, causing Pikachu to jerk awake.

Ash spotted the source. "Look, over there!" he said as he and Ethan ran towards the commotion.

They dashed out of the thick of the trees and found someone curled in on himself to protect his face from a horde of Pokémon.

"It's a bunch of zubat!" Ash exclaimed. Pikachu hopped to the top of his head to get a better look.

"They're attacking that guy!" Misty said, pointing out the obvious.

Ethan caught Ash's arm as he tried to pull out his pokédex. Ash looked at him, annoyed. "Shouldn't we, I don't know, _save_ the guy first?" Ethan asked.

"Oh, right. Sorry," Ash apologized.

"Eevee, use swift!"

"Pikachu, thundershock!"

The cream tip of Eevee's tail glowed. After a second of concentration, she shot dozens of star-shaped projectiles at the horde. Pikachu's thundershock joined the assault and charged the stars with electric-type energy, causing sparks to jump between them.

The never-miss move hit its mark. The swift exploded on impact, discharging the stored electricity in explosions of star-shaped sparks, shocking the Bat Pokémon. Unfortunately, the poor man on the ground got zapped as well.

Ethan cringed at the sight as he caught Pikachu after the mouse finished his attack. He did _not_ look forward to the day he would get a serving of electricity.

"Woah, what was that? That was so cool!" Ash said in amazement.

"That was a combination attack, Ash. I used to do stuff like that in Pokémon Contests all the time," Daisy answered, "That one was simple, yet effective."

"Combination attacks? I gotta remember that," Ash muttered to himself.

A pained groan sounded from the man still curled in on himself.

"Oh yeah, the guy!" Ash remembered, then sprinted over to check on him. "Are you okay, mister?" he asked.

The man, whom Ethan remembered was named Seymour, got on his feet faster than he could react and pulled Ash into a hug.

"Wow! You guys are the greatest!" Seymour exclaimed.

"N-t ag-n!" Ash's muffled voice said. "R-ly. It w-s n-thing!"

"I'm talking super fantabulistic! I mean two thumbs-up! Way up! The best rescue I've ever had! I've never been rescued the way you rescued me!"

"Pl-se. L-t me go!"

Ethan raised a brow. Shouldn't they have been electrocuted by now- "Ohh," Ethan whispered as he looked at the pikachu in his arms. Pikachu looked back at him quizzically, none the wiser.

That was the last thing he saw before he found himself face-first in the eccentric scientist's lab coat, and the air was forcibly removed from his lungs.

"You were fantabulisitic too! I have no idea what I would have done if you hadn't come along! I would probably be dead! Or at least extremely sore and poisoned!"

Ethan's vision swam as he tried to breathe but couldn't get fresh air into his lungs. He felt the hair on his head and arms stand on end, and his eyes widened. That was the only warning he got before the worst pain he could remember in recent history racked his body.

_The chamber of the tree…_

Ethan's breathing quickened as he hit the ground.

_Can't breathe…_

His pupils dilated in terror.

_Sparks racking his entire frame…_

His heart pounded in his ears.

_Burning from the inside…_

"Something's wrong! What's happening?"

"Eeveev?!"

"He's been paralyzed, and I think he's having a panic attack! I've never seen one this bad!"

"What do we do?"

There was a moment of silence before someone spoke up.

"We need to sedate him before we can treat the paralysis, or he might get hurt. But how can we do that out here?"

"His butterfree knows sleep powder. Would that work?"

"Pikapi! Pikachu ka-pi pi Pi-cha!"

It was then everyone noticed that Ethan's eyes were glowing an intense blue, and motes of blue fire danced at his twitching fingertips.

" _Now_ what's happening to him?"

"I don't know!"

"Hurry, Butterfree! Please use sleep powder on Ethan. We have to stop him from hurting himself!"

"Fwee!"

Ethan took no notice of the world around him as his vision faded to black.

* * *

_"Oww, my head," Ethan groaned as he sat up._

_Something didn't seem right. He racked his brain, trying to figure out what it was, but only ended up making his headache worse._

_"Ughh, nevermind. I'll figure it out lat-" Ethan's eyes shot open. His voice was back to normal!_

_He inspected his hands then brought them up to his face._

_"Aww, I missed you, beard," he said._

_Ethan took off his glasses, looked at them, then frowned. "I thought I lost these. What's going on?"_

_He slipped his glasses back on and finally took in his surroundings. He was sitting on fresh-cut grass bordering a gravel road intersection. There were dozens of vehicles parked along the side of the road._

_"Wait, these cars have Utah and Idaho license plates! Am I back home?!"_

_Ethan scanned his surroundings and spotted a large gathering of people a short distance away. He stood and approached, intending to ask where he was. As he got closer, he realized that he knew many of their faces._

_"Mom?! Dad?!" He broke into a sprint when he saw his parents and family at the front of the gathering._

_Ethan slowed to a halt when he got near. No one reacted to his outburst. The atmosphere was solemn, and the air was still. He could feel an overwhelming sadness permeating through his very being._

_"Mom… Dad?"_

_Nothing. No reaction. No one even looked at him. Their attention was directed at something else._

_Ethan followed their gazes, and his heart dropped. How had he missed_ that?

_In front of the gathering, a lacquered brown casket with a white cloth, covered with dozens of flowers, sat, ready to be lowered into the ground. On either side of the coffin were pictures of him mounted onto easels with the words, "In memory of Ethan Dust, beloved son, brother, uncle, and friend. May God receive you into His rest. May 21, 1994 - July 7, 2020."_

Is-is this what it's like to be on the other side when people say they can feel the spirit of their departed loved ones? _Ethan shook his head._

_"Mom! Dad! Everyone! I'm not dead! I'm right here!" he yelled more fervently._

_"They can't hear you, Ethan. No matter what you do, they won't hear you."_

_Ethan whirled around to face who spoke._

_"Aaron?"_

_The ancient Aura Guardian approached with a sad smile._

_"I had to go through the same thing you did, Ethan. Like you, I was not born in the world of Pokémon. I'm actually from Toronto, believe it or not."_

_"How are you here? How am_ I _here?" Ethan asked._

_"I'm not actually here. I'm an echo of Sir Aaron made possible by his aura that lives on in his gloves," he explained, "As for what 'here' is, this is a vision of what's happening in our world. You're just unconscious right now."_

_"Oh," Ethan despondently replied. He looked back at his family, who were beginning to disperse, tears running down many of their cheeks._

_"Did he ever try to get back? To Toronto, I mean?" he asked._

_The echo's smile faded. "Aaron looked for a way back for a few years. He eventually chose to stay. Do you want to know why?"_

_Ethan shook his head. "No. If you tell me why then I'm afraid I'll stop looking. If I choose to stay, I want to find my own reason."_

_Aaron nodded. "I understand. We don't have much time left, so I'm here to tell you that you've begun developing your empathic abilities. You're going to start feeling other living being's emotions and intentions."_

_The world around them began to brighten, turning to an indistinguishable white as Ethan's eyelids grew heavy._

_"Remember, Ethan, the aura is with you."_

* * *

Ethan stirred, opened his eyes, and wished he hadn't.

_Ughh, feels like I hit my head,_ he groaned, feeling annoyed as he rubbed a tender spot covered in a bandage near the base of his skull. He hated waking up sore and not remembering why.

… _Why do I hear the Team Rocket motto theme song?_

"To denounce the evils of truth and love,"

"To extend our reach to the stars above,"

"Jessie!"

"Ja-"

"Oh, shut up!" Ethan yelled as he glared at the Team Rocket trio and stood, steadying himself against a rocky wall. "I'm tired, sore, and have a killer headache. I'm not in the mood for this!"

There was a pregnant pause as all eyes turned to Ethan.

"Eeveev!"

"Fwee!"

"Ethan!" his four traveling companions and Pokémon exclaimed simultaneously.

"Oww, keep it down," Ethan whimpered, holding his head.

"Hey! Stop ignoring us!" Jessie screeched.

"Interrupting the motto is a crime against Team Rocket. We need to teach you some manners," James sneered.

"Hmph. After we deal wit' you, we'll get our claws on the Moon Stone and power up our Pokémon!" Meowth declared.

Ethan rolled his eyes, wincing as he did so. "Do you know how stupid your plan is? I see at least two problems with it."

He lifted the index finger on his right hand. "One: the six of us have… what? At least ten Pokémon between us versus your three."

He lifted a second finger. "Two: the Moon Stone only 'powers up' certain Pokémon, none of which you carry. Even if you take the Moon Stone, it'll be nothing but a glorified paperweight."

The Rocket trio glared at the twerp that ridiculed their master plan.

"Our plan is stupid, is it?" James scoffed.

"We'll see who's stupid," Jessie finished as she and James tossed their tools away then pulled out a Pokéball each.

Ash and Brock responded in kind and prepared for battle.

"Misty, Daisy," Ash whispered, "Keep an eye on Seymour and Clefairy. Make a run for it when you have the chance."

"I'll help," Ethan added, feeling steady enough to stand without help.

"Don't push yourself too much, Ethan. You're still recovering from earlier," Daisy said.

"I'll have to ask what happened after we're through with these bozos. It's still fuzzy to me."

"You mean you don't remember?" Misty asked.

"Later, Misty," Ethan replied.

Ethan whispered instructions to his starter as he walked to join Ash and Brock. "Eevee, Meowth's gonna sneak off to attack that wild clefairy. Follow him when he does, and feel free to beat him up as you please."

Eevee gave him a confident grin, then located her opponent and used dig, disappearing underground.

"Butterfree, you're with me on the front line," he said as he stopped by Brock's side, receiving a nod from him. Butterfree flew up to hover near her Pokémon allies, Zubat and Butterfree.

_That's going to get confusing,_ Ethan thought. I _should think of a nickname_.

"Koffing, smog attack!"

"Whirlwind!" Ethan, Ash, and Brock commanded in unison.

* * *

"Hehehe, I'll show dat blondie twerp dat our plan is genius. I should know, I came up wit' it," the Scratch Cat Pokémon sneered as he continued his pursuit of the clefairy.

He exited the rocky tunnel and surveyed his surroundings as his eyes adjusted to the sun's natural light. There! That arch was the only way to cross the river. That clefairy would have to cross to get to this side. He climbed with feline grace, jumping from rock to rock until he was in position on his end of the arch, hidden from sight.

_"Whatcha doin?"_

"What's it to ya… ya… whoa!" Meowth stammered as he beheld the vision of beauty that climbed out a hole in the ground. Everything from the tips of her erect brown ears, to her green eyes, her fluffy mane, and the cream color heart-shaped pattern on the end of her tail was perfect.

_"…Why are you looking at me like that?"_ she asked, feeling weirded out.

Meowth composed himself and wiped the drool from his chin, then coughed to clear his throat. "Hiya Eevee! My name's Meowth."

_"I know who you are."_

"You do?"

_"Yep! You're the mascot of Team Rocket, and I'm gonna beat you up!"_ Eevee excitedly cheered, bouncing on her paws.

"Dat's me! I'm the – wait, what?"

Eevee's cheerful demeanor morphed to a vicious grin. She pounced, catching Meowth by surprise with a quick attack to the gut, which sent him tumbling away from the arch and onto open ground. She caught up, pivoted on her front paws, and double kicked him right in the charm.

"Ow ow ow! Why? Why'd it have to be the charm?" Meowth whimpered as he hunched over, rubbing his forehead.

_"It's shiny. It was_ begging _me to kick it!"_ Eevee growled before swinging an iron tail, striking him in the chest.

"I'm not a mascot!" Meowth yelled as the attack sent him flying away and out of sight.

Eevee's demeanor switched back to her cheery self, and she pranced around in a circle. _"Yay! I beat up a bad guy! That was so much fun!"_

_"By Cresselia! Do you think he'll be okay?"_

Eevee's ears perked as she looked at the clefairy that spoke from the end of the arch. _"Eh, don't worry about it. You're the clefairy he was chasing, right?"_

_"I am. I have to get to the gathering, or the start of the ceremony will be delayed!"_

_"Wait, hold on! You can't go with that creep looking for you. Stay with me. We'll find my friends and make sure you get there safe."_

"Eevee! There you are!" Ethan yelled as he made his way towards them from the top of the arch, carrying something in his arms. The other five humans were close behind him.

_"Or they'll find us,"_ Eevee giggled as her tail wagged back and forth _, "Ethan, I did it! I beat up a bad guy!"_

* * *

It didn't take any convincing to decide that everyone needed a break. The gang shrugged off their gear and settled next to a nearby stream to eat and drink.

"I wish I had had the time to take these off of you two before all that crazy stuff happened. You fought really well, regardless," Ethan complimented as he removed Eevee's and Butterfree's weights and stowed them away in his bag.

The two Pokémon stretched their limbs and rolled their necks, relieved to have the harnesses off after having worn them for most of the day – a lot longer than they were used to. Butterfree flew over to Ash's butterfree to join him in his meal and talk while Eevee dragged her bowl near Ethan's lap so she could sit and eat.

"I put your vest in your bag already, in case you're wondering," Brock said as he finished administering first-aid to a sandshrew Ethan carried earlier. "There we go! Sandshrew will be fine."

"Thanks, Brock. You feeling better, Sandshrew?"

While Ash, Brock, and Ethan were racing to catch up with Misty, Daisy, and Seymour after battling Team Rocket, they rescued a sandshrew that was being beaten mercilessly by a group of invading paras. Ethan felt like he couldn't just leave it there, so he trusted his gut, drove the paras away, and carried the unconscious sandshrew with him.

Sandshrew shyly nodded and hesitantly stepped towards Ethan, then curled up near his side.

"Thanks again, Brock, and thanks for carrying me while I was out."

"How did you know I carried you?"

"You weren't wearing your pack when I woke up," Ethan shrugged as he ran his fingers through Eevee's fur and took a bite of his sandwich.

Misty sat opposite of Ethan. "Speaking of waking up, what happened earlier?" she asked.

Ethan's mood soured, and he swallowed his food before answering. "I'm… not sure. The last thing I remember before waking up was _that guy_ ," he pointed at the scientist with a glare, "invading _my_ personal space and _crushing_ my ribs."

"Ehehe, sorry about that," the scientist apologized, "I get overly grateful and huggy when someone does something nice for me. My name is Seymour; Seymour the Scientist. I work at the Pewter City Museum of Science, and I'm here investigating the Moon Stone."

"So you don't remember what happened after that?" Daisy asked in concern.

Ethan shook his head. "I don't remember anything between then and when I fell unconscious."

"Well, you and Seymour got hit by Pikachu's thundershock attack," Ash volunteered as he sat down with his sandwich.

"Oh yeah, Pikachu got caught between us," Ethan remembered.

Pikachu's ears fell flat against his head. "Pi-cha… pika pika. Pi-Ka-Chu?"

"I'm alright, Pikachu. Don't feel bad," Ethan assured the electric mouse with a few pats on his head, earning a relieved "Chaa…" in response.

"You had a panic attack, Ethan," Brock continued from where Ash left off, "Your eyes were glowing, and your hands looked like they had blue fire coming off of them. We had to put you to sleep."

Ethan tensed and looked Brock in his squinted eyes. "Are you sure?" he asked urgently.

"We all saw it," Misty confirmed.

Ethan deflated and ran a hand down his face. Eevee looked up at him and mewled in concern. "I was hoping to keep that a secret, but I guess it didn't work out that way."

Ethan pointed at Seymour. "You, why don't you go and keep the clefairy company? And please keep what you saw to yourself."

Seymour reluctantly nodded. "Okay," he said before getting up and leaving.

Ethan watched him go before motioning for everyone else present to huddle in closer. "I hope this goes without saying, but I also need you to keep what you saw a secret."

Everyone nodded in affirmation, while Ash asked, "But what _was_ that?"

"I'll get to that. First, do any of you know what aura is?"

Blank stares were all the answer he needed.

Ethan continued. "Aura is the spiritual energy, or life energy inside every living thing. Lucario are a species of Pokémon capable of manipulating their own aura and can use it as a weapon or barrier. They can also use it to sense other auras and see their surroundings, even with their eyes closed.

"A long time ago, a group of humans called 'Aura Guardians' were also capable of wielding aura. They disappeared centuries ago, and no one knows what happened to them."

Daisy's eyes widened. "So what we saw was-"

"My aura manifesting outwardly? I think so. I have the potential to wield aura like the aura guardians, but since there's no one to teach me, I have to figure it out on my own. I've never been able to consciously do what you saw me do. I think what you saw was the emotions from my panic attack forcing my aura out in some kind of self-preservation instinct."

"That's so cool!" Ash exclaimed, "I wish I could use aura."

_Oh, if only you knew,_ Ethan chuckled. "Ash, aura can be cool, and I'm pretty excited about what I might be able to do with it, but it can also be dangerous to the user."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Ash asked.

"What do you think would happen if I used _too much_ aura, which is my life energy?" Ethan answered with his own question.

"You could die!" Misty gasped.

"Exactly! So, thanks for knocking me out."

"Oh," Ash deflated, staring at his half-eaten meal in thought.

Ethan noticed Ash's shift in mood and backpedaled. "It's not all bad, though. Once I'm trained up enough with it, the only way I'd die from my aura would be if I willingly gave it up."

"That's a relief," Brock said, "How long have you been training this aura?"

"Uhh, well," Ethan blinked, "my powers only started manifesting about a month ago, right before I left on my Pokémon journey. I've been trying to figure it out since then. So far, progress has been slow."

"Hey, you guys!" Seymour called to the huddled group, "Clefairy's moving!"

The five stared at Seymour, then each other, and scrambled to pack their belongings as Ash stuffed the rest of his sandwich into his mouth.

"Eevee, follow Clefairy. We'll be right behind you!" Ethan said before he felt a tug on his jeans.

He looked down to meet the black-blue eyes of the sandshrew he and Brock helped earlier. It looked at him as if wanting to ask something but seemed afraid to do so.

"…Would you like to tag along, Sandshrew?" he asked.

"Sh-shrew," it meekly nodded.

"Alright. You should be able to keep up with us, I think. Let's go."

* * *

It didn't take long to catch up with the wild clefairy, and the group was able to keep pace. Ethan was near the middle, having a conversation with the scientist of the group.

"So, wait, you believe Pokémon came from outer space using the Moon Stone as a spacecraft?" Ethan asked.

"I do. I've believed it ever since I was a boy. Do you not think so?" Seymour replied.

"Well, not all Pokémon came from outer space. The handful that I know of that come from space are lunatone, solrock, the beheeyem line, and possibly the clefairy line, not to mention a few legendary Pokémon. Most other species of Pokémon are native."

"Oh? And how do you know that?"

_I watched the anime and played most of the games,_ Ethan thought.

"I've read the Sinnoh legends about the Alpha God Pokémon, Arceus, creating the world and everything in it. There are a few books about it at Rota's public library. Don't ask me to go into detail. There's too much material to go over."

Ash groaned ahead of them. "Where on earth are Pikachu and Eevee taking us?"

"They're following Clefairy to where the Moon Stone is, probably," Daisy replied, her breathing slightly labored from the uphill trek. "I need to work out more. I'm out of shape."

"Here, let me carry your bag," Brock offered with an outstretched hand.

Daisy mulled over his offer for a moment before lifting her bag's strap over her head and passing it over. "Thanks, Brock."

Eevee, Pikachu, and Clefairy hopped over a waist-high bush and stopped at the sight of a cave entrance.

"Hold on a minute, guys," Ethan motioned everyone to stop.

Misty raised a brow. "What's wrong?"

Ethan scanned their surroundings before speaking in a hushed voice, "Team Rocket might still be looking for the Moon Stone. Let's make a plan, just in case they're following us."

* * *

Footsteps echoed in the dimly lit tunnel as the otherwise silent group followed Clefairy. Sounds of awe and wonder escaped the lips of people and Pokémon alike as the reflective dark surface of a large boulder, set up on a natural pedestal, came into view.

"…It's the core of the Moon Stone…" Seymour said in awe, a giddy smile forming on his lips.

Ethan whistled in appreciation. "Wow. Just… the way the moonlight shines on it is… wow. I've never called a rock beautiful before, but this rock is beautiful."

Misty and Daisy nodded, agreeing with Ethan's sentiment.

"So the Moon Stone legend _is_ true," Brock muttered to himself.

Ash stared for another moment before movement caught his eye. "Hey, Clefairy's doing something."

The wild clefairy hopped up to the pedestal and placed its moonstone next to the others already there, completing a ring of smaller stones surrounding the giant one. The clefairy hopped down as the stones seemingly attracted the moon's light, causing them to glow, followed shortly after by the Moon Stone core. The light intensified until the entire cavern bathed in its blue light, revealing many more clefairy, some cleffa, and a few clefable that approached the giant stone.

Ethan bit the inside of his lips to stifle a yawn as he watched the mesmerizing sight taking place before him. _I hope Team Rocket shows up soon. I could use some sleep._

Daisy gasped and pulled out a pokéball. "Oh! I wonder if Clefairy wants to join." A flash of light later, her clefairy opened its eyes and cried for joy. Clefairy hugged her trainer's leg, then joined the ceremony.

Ethan shook his head and stepped a short distance from the group, unnoticed, and released Butterfree from her pokéball. He had a plan to enact. "Eevee, Sandshrew, time to go underground. Butterfree, on the wall above the tunnel. You all remember what to do?"

Each Pokémon nodded, and Eevee gave a mock salute, drawing a smile from Ethan as she joined Sandshrew in the ground. Butterfree flew up and clung to the wall above the tunnel exit they had come in from.

Satisfied with their positioning, Ethan rejoined the other humans.

"…the human race will ride the Moon Stone into space! First to the moon, then to Mars, then together to the stars!" Seymour exclaimed.

"I think the astronauts at the Mossdeep Space Center already landed on the moon. They'll probably be the first to launch a rocket to Mars, too," Ethan chuckled as he rolled his eyes at the scientist's words.

"Did someone say rocket? That's our cue!"

The clefairy stopped their dance, and their audience turned around to face the newest arrivals. With smug smiles and confident poses, the Team Rocket trio of Jessie, James, and Meowth appeared.

"You guys don't know when to quit," Ash remarked.

_No duh,_ Ethan agreed.

Seymour ran between the Moon Stone and Team Rocket and spread his arms, trying to act as a barrier for the priceless object behind him. "You keep away from the Moon Stone, or else!"

_Oh, this should be fun._

"Or else?" James mocked.

"I think we've been threatened," Jessie scoffed.

_You sure have! I'm…starting to get loopy. I_ really _need to finish this up. Wait, why's Seymour running? Yup, he forgot the plan._

"I'll show you!" Seymour charged, mustering the best battle cry he could. Meowth simply stuck out his foot, tripping the scientist and causing him to fall to the ground face-first.

Ethan couldn't help but snort in laughter at the scientist's misfortune, which drew a collective confused look from the other four humans near him.

"What?" Ethan asked, "It was funny."

Ash shrugged before scowling at the trio. "That was a dirty trick."

Jessie smirked. "All is fair in love and Pokémon battles, boy."

"Enough talk!" James yelled as he and Jessie threw a pokéball each.

"I agree!" Ash declared, "Pidgeotto, I choose you!"

"Go, Onix!"

Four simultaneous flashes of light formed into Onix, Pidgeotto, Koffing, and Ekans. Each Pokémon cried their names, with Onix drowning them out with a roar.

_Welp, here we go._

"Ekans, underground now!"

"Koffing, smokescreen!"

Ethan tapped the steel toe of his left boot on the rocky ground three times, then yelled, "Butterfree, now!"

A blue glow suffused and outlined Koffing's body. Butterfree willed her confusion attack to shut her target's mouth and plug the holes that had begun spewing the dark smoke, causing pressure to start building in Koffing's body.

"What?!" the trio exclaimed in shock.

The ground rumbled and ruptured between Team Rocket and the gang. The joint efforts of Eevee and Sandshrew forced Ekans out of the ground and launched it into the air.

"Onix, slam Ekans towards Team Rocket!"

"Pidgeotto, help him out with whirlwind!"

Onix roared and swung its tail, batting Ekans into the humans of the Team Rocket trio, sending them tumbling back into the tunnel. The winds stirred by Pidgeotto increased the momentum of their tumble and sent Meowth and a very bloated Koffing flying with them.

Butterfree cried a strained "Fweee!" signaling that she couldn't hold her grip much longer. This was confirmed as Ethan noticed Koffing begin to glow.

"Oh, scheisse! Brock, have Onix block the tunnel!" Ethan cried as he enlarged Butterfree's pokéball.

"Onix, cover the exit!" Brock commanded, then ran towards Daisy, having seen the danger Ethan had.

The Rock Snake Pokémon quickly moved its massive bulk and used its third segment to block the tunnel exit, and not a moment too soon.

Butterfree released her hold on Koffing as she was returned. A near-deafening explosion and flash of light followed a moment later from the tunnel behind Onix. Ethan ducked down and grabbed Eevee and Sandshrew, hugging them to his chest.

Ethan thought he heard the classic "Team Rocket's blasting off again!" cry from the trio, but he wasn't sure.

Everything fell silent for a few moments as the ringing in everyone's ears faded. Only then did Ethan look up from his sprawled position on the floor.

"Wow, Ethan. Your plan worked!" Misty exclaimed as she helped Ethan to his knees.

"Well, it never hurts to be prepared. You all did great. You too, Eevee and Sandshrew!" Ethan praised.

Eevee puffed out her chest while Sandshrew scratched the back of its head, seemingly abashed at the praise.

"Misty, will you go check on Seymour?" Ethan asked, suddenly remembering the scientist.

"He's fine. He crawled away before the battle started," Daisy said.

Ethan nodded, then turned to Brock. "Brock, could you take a look at Butterfree for me? After you check on Onix, of course."

"Sure," Brock nodded, "But it looks like the clefairy are trying to get your attention."

Ethan raised a brow and turned his gaze to a group of clefairy that approached him.

"Fairy clefairy clef clefairy fairy," the lead clefairy of the group bowed and held two darkly glowing stones in its paws. "Clefairy fairy clefairy."

"Those for me? You sure?"

The clefairy simply smiled and nodded, placing the stones in front of Ethan.

After setting Eevee and Sandshrew down, Ethan picked up the glowing stones. He studied them, admiring and wondering how something so dark could glow as it did.

"Th-thank you," Ethan slurred as he placed the stones in his bag. He stood and wavered on his feet as he loosed a wide-mouthed yawn. He staggered over to the nearest wall, laid out his sleeping bag, and promptly collapsed.

Brock and Ash looked at the snoozing Ethan, then each other.

"I guess he was tired," Ash noted.

"Eeveev eevee," Eevee nodded sagely, drawing chittering laughter from Sandshrew.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanted to let everyone know that I have two beta readers now! Their FF names are Nitroo and Walk The Max Planck. I'm grateful to have them on as beta readers now.
> 
> Discord Code: FNh6A3e
> 
> Published: September 24, 2020
> 
> Updated: February 21, 2021, Grammar corrections, improved readability, and so on.


	8. Empath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You may have noticed that these chapters are coming out slower lately, but hear me out. Work has been super good lately, and I've been given a work project to develop! That has resulted in a little less time to write, but I'm now in a good spot financially.
> 
> Remember, there is a discord server for this fic now! Thanks to all who have joined so far. Here's the invite code: FNh6A3e

**Chapter 8**

**Empath**

"Attention, everyone! The bus to Saffron City is now boarding and will be departing shortly."

"This is it! Thanks for letting me travel with you," Daisy said as she hugged Ethan.

"Don't mention it. Thanks for keeping me company for as long as you did. It would have been boring otherwise," Ethan smiled, returning her hug.

"Vee?! Eeveev, eev eevee vee!" Eevee exclaimed from his shoulder.

Ethan scratched her behind her ears. "No, no, _you're_ _not_ boring, Eevee. I'm just saying it was fun traveling with Daisy. Don't you think?

Eevee playfully nipped his gloved fingers and nodded.

Ethan, Daisy, Ash, Brock, and Misty stopped at a small town a few days outside of Mount Moon the previous evening. During their stay, Daisy discovered that a bus scheduled to arrive the next morning was headed to Saffron City. She bought a ticket since she was a bit behind schedule to get back to Celadon.

"Oh Daisy, my beautiful flower! Wherever you are, wherever you go, please don't forget me!" Brock cried as he cupped her hands in his, causing her to chuckle.

"D-don't worry about that, Brock. I doubt I'll forget about you," she said as she reclaimed her hands.

Daisy then turned to Ash and adjusted his hat. "Ash? Train hard, and you'll be a great trainer."

"Of course I'll be great! I'll beat anyone who challenges me!" Ash arrogantly proclaimed.

"Except Samurai, and Ethan, and Brock," Misty counted on her fingers.

"Misty!"

Everyone laughed at Ash's expense as he hung his head.

"Final call for Saffron City! Final call for Saffron City!"

"I gotta go! Look me up when you get to Celadon. Good luck on all your journeys!"

With a chorus of goodbye's and see ya's, Daisy stepped into the bus, and the doors closed behind her. The bus roared to life and pulled away, leaving behind fresh tire tracks in the dirt road.

Ethan sympathetically patted Brock's back as the noise of the former gym leader's sobbing got his attention. "Cheer up, Brock. We'll see Daisy again. In the meantime, there'll be plenty of other girls to flirt with."

"I know, but…" Brock lamented, "There will never be anyone like Daisy!"

Ethan and Eevee chuckled. _This is what I'll have to deal with sometimes when it comes to Brock. At least it's funny._

"Of course no ones gonna be like Daisy, Brock," Ash said, "She's not a twin or anything."

Misty shook her head. "Oh, Ash. You're so oblivious."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"You'll understand when – _if_ you start noticing girls, Ash," Ethan chuckled at Ash's look of confusion. "You guys don't mind if I travel with you for at least a little while longer, do you?"

"I don't mind," Misty said, "What about you, Brock?"

"Why not? Someone's gotta look after you if you have another, um, episode," Brock agreed.

"Sure! The more, the merrier I say," Ash said.

"Pika pikachu, Pi-Cha!"

"Eevee Eeveev!"

"Thanks!" Ethan cheered, "Let's go!"

* * *

"This road leads to… Cerulean City," Brock read from the sign at a fork in the dirt path. "Well, I guess we're headed the right way."

Ethan raised a brow. "The other path leads to the backcountry of Rota. Huh, I didn't know there was a path from Rota that led here."

"That's where you're from, right?" Brock asked.

"Sort of? I only lived there a week before leaving on my journey, but it's home for now," Ethan replied.

"Where are you from originally?"

Ethan's shoulders sagged, and his face fell before he schooled his expression. "Far away. Maybe I'll tell you someday."

Brock narrowed his eyes – more than they already were – before shrugging. "I look forward to it."

"'…Gary was here… Loser?!'"

Ash ground his teeth, and Ethan began to feel irritated as he turned toward the fuming Ash.

"That Gary!" Ash muttered before declaring, "I'll show you!" to the sky and sprinting down the path, arms spread behind him.

"Ash! Cerulean City's still a week's walk from here!" Ethan yelled, his words failing to reach Ash's ears.

Ethan sighed in exasperation and turned to Brock, Misty, and Pikachu, who wore similar expressions. "How do you all put up with that kid?"

"I haven't known Ash for very long, but he's a good kid. He has the potential to be a great trainer and an even better friend," Brock said.

"Pika pika," Pikachu nodded.

"Eevee vee?" Eevee asked.

Ethan nodded and left the two Pokémon to whatever they were discussing. "Well, we better start catching up."

Brock agreed and took the lead. Ethan adjusted his vest as he fell into stride behind him while Misty hesitated for a moment before following.

"Eevee, Pikachu, Sandshrew, Jade, we're leaving!" Ethan called as they started walking.

Jade was the nickname Ethan chose to give his butterfree. He was opposed to giving her a nickname at first but thought it was necessary to avoid confusion with Ash's butterfree when they were both out. Jade, however, loved her new name so much that Ethan thought she had learned quiver dance. So it stuck.

The morning after the Moon Stone ceremony, Ethan found Sandshrew curled up next to him alongside Eevee. It took a moment for Ethan to get the message, but when he asked Sandshrew if she wanted to join him on his journey, she agreed.

_Three girls. When dad said I would get all the girls, I don't think this is what he meant,_ Ethan mused, before the corners of his lips tugged upward. _I suppose it doesn't matter if they're all girls. I still love 'em._

His smile quickly faded as his thoughts turned towards the vision of his funeral and the subsequent discussion with Sir Aaron. His dreams were plagued with that same vision; he would wake up in that cemetery and see his family, but they wouldn't respond to his cries. It was like a cruel deity was taunting him and laughing at his misery.

Ethan shook his head and stared into the crystals of his gloved hands. Since the secret about his powers came out, he had taken to wearing the gloves full-time. He furrowed a brow and concentrated on pushing an imaginary power in his body to the crystals and was rewarded with a subtle pulsing glow before he let his focus go.

He thought back to what Sir Aaron said in that vision. He revealed that his empathic abilities had begun developing. Ethan briefly wondered if he had already started sensing others' feelings without knowing it.

A subtle notion of anxiety tugged at his chest, and he subconsciously glanced to his left at Misty, who was staring blankly at the ground.

Ethan's eyes widened a fraction as a realization hit him. He had been feeling little tugs like that for a few days now but didn't know why. Could they be the emotions of his traveling companions? There was one way he could find out right now.

"You feeling okay, Misty?" he asked.

The redhead's shoulders briefly tensed before relaxing. "Hm? O-oh, I'm fine."

The tugging feeling intensified in time with Misty's words, and Ethan mentally cheered at his discovery.

"Are you sure? I can literally feel your anxiety. You're worried about something."

Misty's viridian-green eyes met Ethan's blue ones before she sighed. "You wouldn't understand."

Ethan chuckled. "I bet I would. Care if I take a guess?"

"Sure, go ahead."

Ethan looked back at the path ahead of him. "You're not looking forward to seeing your sisters again."

A hand slapped over Ethan's mouth as he was roughly pulled backward, nearly causing him to lose his balance.

"How do you know that?" Misty hissed into his ear, not wanting to get Brock's attention.

_I watched the anime._

"Mmph, mph pthbbft," Ethan pointed to the hand covering his mouth.

Misty removed her hand and wiped it on her high-rise shorts. "Now talk!"

Ethan wiped his mouth and spat into the grass to get the taste of hand off his lips. "I know a lot of things I shouldn't. But I did my research on the Kanto Pokémon League gym circuit before I left on my journey. The Cerulean gym is run by the Waterflower family's 'Sensational Sisters,' of which you are one of them. Though the picture online seemed to be a few years old. And your name was in the footnotes."

Misty's eyebrow twitched before she sighed, and the two of them continued walking. "So, does having aura let you read minds?"

Ethan rubbed a spot around his mouth where it stung from being slapped. "I think mind-reading is more of a psychic thing. I can just relate to you. I have two pretty bossy sisters who think they know everything, so I guessed you have a similar relationship with yours. Aura lets me feel others' emotions, so when I say I know exactly how you feel, I mean it."

Misty chuckled humorlessly. "That's exactly how my sisters are."

Ethan grimaced. The tugging – which he had decided to call it for now – felt sad. "You know, even though my sisters are the way they are, I still love them, and they love me. I bet it's the same with your sisters. It's a sibling's responsibility to tease their other siblings, after all. It's in the job description."

Misty's gaze turned to the ground as if in thought.

"Let's move on to another subject," Ethan suggested. "Let's talk about water Pokémon! I can tell you a few things about water Pokémon from other regions, and you can teach me what you know. It'd be a waste to not ask a Cerulean gym leader about water-types."

Misty's eyes brightened as she smiled. "Sure! You first."

The tugging changed from sadness to eagerness. _Hey, I'm getting the hang of this!_

"Okay, uh, have you heard of the Pokémon feebas before?"

"Nuh-uh."

"Well," Ethan grinned, "I don't have a picture, unfortunately, but feebas are among the weakest and ugliest looking Pokémon in the world. Yet, they are one of my favorite water-types."

"But if it's weak and ugly, why would you want one?"

"Well, you know that magikarp evolve into powerful gyarados once they get strong enough, right?"

Misty shuddered. "Y-yeah, I know that."

"A feebas' evolution is quite similar. I mentioned how they are one of the ugliest Pokémon in the world, remember? A feebas evolves into milotic, which is the most beautiful water Pokémon in the world."

Misty gasped, and her eyes widened. "Wallace has a milotic! He's a famous water Pokémon trainer and coordinator in the Hoenn region. I didn't know milotic had a pre-evolved form! But you're absolutely right about its beauty."

The tugging feeling changed to… excitement? Excitement. "Oh, so you know who Wallace is? Great! I don't have to try and describe how a milotic looks. Anyway, there's a couple of theories on how a feebas can evolve into a milotic.

"One theory says that the feebas has to look past its ugly exterior and realize its true inner beauty. It helps if it has a trainer to help them along. The second theory involves an evolutionary item called a 'Prismatic Scale.' Or maybe it's just 'Prism Scale.' I don't remember which."

Misty was in awe at this new information. "Wow, now _I_ want a feebas. Realizing one's true inner beauty to transform into a more beautiful version of oneself sounds like a happy ending in a fairy tale!"

Ethan shrugged. "I guess so. Enough from me. It's your turn to teach me something _you_ know about water Pokémon."

"Fair enough. Now, where to start…"

* * *

Ethan's messy hair caressed the bridge of his nose as a gentle, early-morning breeze blew through the trees, carrying the scent of fresh grass around him, though he paid it little mind.

He and Brock were the group's early-risers, and Brock acknowledged him with a nod before returning to his morning preparations. Joining Ethan in his twilight meditation were Eevee, Sandshrew, and Jade.

During the few days after figuring out how his empathic powers worked, he came up with a theory. Suppose his empathic abilities worked by feeling a tugging emotion from an outside source. Could he use his new sixth sense to initiate a connection with anyone's consciousness to feel their emotions?

That was the objective of this morning's meditation and why Eevee agreed to meditate with her trainer. Though, she didn't seem to mind the closeness between them as she settled in his lap.

Ethan scratched behind her ears, much to her delight, as she purred and leaned into his hand. "Thanks for joining me this morning, Eevee. I know you don't… _prefer_ meditation, but I think this will help me figure out my powers. You too, Jade and Sandshrew."

Jade and Sandshrew nodded and quietly whispered an acknowledgment.

"May as well get started. I'm gonna start with you, Sandshrew."

Ethan brought his fists together, closed his eyes, and breathed deep, smelling the scents of morning dew and the woods around him.

_Okay, I want to reach out to Sandshrew. We haven't known each other for too long, but maybe…_

Ethan envisioned what he wanted to happen, imagining his heart making an intangible connection with Sandshrew's very being, much like a phone calling another. He exhaled and willed himself to create what he envisioned.

. . .

. . .

. . .

_Maybe doing this requires a stronger bond than what I have with Sandshrew._

He tried again with Sandshrew before moving on to Jade, then Eevee, becoming frustrated the more it didn't work.

_Why isn't this working? I thought for sure it would!_

"Eeveev!"

Eevee squirmed in his lap, and he opened his eyes to see what was going on. He raised a brow in confusion when he noticed that his Pokémon seemed unsettled.

"What happened?" he asked.

Sandshrew shyly averted her eyes, Jade tilted her head, looking concerned, and Eevee buried her head in Ethan's chest with her ears down.

_Eevee only does that when she's… OH!_

"Were you three feeling something just now that made you uncomfortable?"

Jade and Sandshrew glanced at each other before nodding.

Ethan sighed and gently pulled Eevee into a reassuring hug. "I'm sorry I made you upset. I think I ended up projecting frustration rather than making the connection I wanted."

"Eev eevee, Eeveev," Eevee forgave before resting her muzzle on his shoulder. Jade walked up and leaned against his side, followed by a hesitant Sandshrew on his other side.

_Aww, this is cute,_ Ethan thought with a smile.

Ethan felt contentment and love, and his eyes shot up. While he, too, was feeling those emotions, the tugging directed his attention to his three girls around him.

He wanted to smack himself. _I'm so dumb. I never needed to initiate contact. Why did I think that before? The tugging is like a passive ability, like a radar!_

"I love you all, and I think I've made progress with my powers, thanks to you. Why don't we move on to _your_ training now?"

* * *

After giving instructions to his Pokémon, Ethan left Eevee and Sandshrew to practice and spar together. Eevee was teaching Sandshrew how to use swift, and in return, was being shown how to use dig more effectively.

"Alright, Jade. You're going to be the MVP in our battle at the Cerulean Gym," Ethan began.

Jade tilted her head as she hovered in place.

"Right, MVP means 'Most Valuable Player.' Let me explain what I mean. The Cerulean Gym's battlefield is mostly water with a few floating platforms. I can't use Sandshrew because she's a ground type, and she can't swim. Eevee _can_ swim but would have a hard time getting close enough to a water Pokémon to get a good hit in, even with the floating platforms. You, however, can fly, and you've had a lot of evasion practice this week, so you should be able to avoid getting shot down.

"I want to make sure that we get electroweb to a proficient level before we get to the gym. You've got the web part down, but we need more power for the electro part." Ethan held his chin. "In fact, I wonder if we could borrow Pikachu again. Maybe he would have some tips on generating the needed electricity, or-"

Ethan heard a little sneeze some distance to his left, and he looked to find the yellow mouse rubbing his little nose.

"Oh, hey Pikachu, great timing! Can I ask for your help again?"

"Pi?" Pikachu asked as he walked over.

Ethan crouched as the mouse approached. "We're trying to figure out how to help Jade make enough electricity for electroweb to be effective in battle. Do you think you can help her figure out how to generate more electricity?"

Pikachu frowned before apologetically shrugging.

Ethan sighed as he pet Pikachu between the ears. "That's alright. I guess being an electric-type, you've never really had to think about how to make electricity. It's just natural for you."

Ethan turned to Jade. "Got any ideas, Jade?"

"Fwee…" Jade looked between Ethan and Pikachu as she hummed, then landed in front of Pikachu and grabbed his paws. "Fwee, fweee! Fwee?"

"Pi-ka?!" Pikachu seemed shocked at Jade's idea and rapidly shook his head.

"What's the matter?"

Ethan paid attention to what he was feeling as Pikachu and Jade spoke. He could feel a mix of hesitance, eagerness, desperation, and shock. _If I didn't know any better, I wouldn't be able to tell what emotion was coming from which Pokémon._

"Let me see if I got this right…"

The two Pokémon went silent and turned to Ethan.

"Jade, you'd like a battle with Pikachu?"

Jade nodded.

"Pikachu, you don't want to battle because Jade is a friend, and you don't want to battle friends?"

"Pi-ka," Pikachu affirmed.

_That's what I thought. Pikachu wasn't much of a battler and refused to battle friends, at least until after he fought Lt. Surge's raichu. Let's see if we can change that._

"Pikachu?" Ethan began, "I can't and won't make you do something you don't want to do, but I want you to know that it's okay to battle friends."

Ethan pointed to Eevee and Sandshrew, who somehow ended up in a pile and were laughing. "Just take Eevee and Sandshrew, for example. Battling with friends helps you both become stronger and deepens your friendship with them. Jade and I ask for your help because we are all friends, and we could really use your help with mastering electroweb. I know you can do it."

Pikachu pondered what he said, then turned to Jade. "PikaPika? Pik Pi-Cha pika-chu?"

"Fwe fwee!" Jade fervently nodded.

Pikachu looked at Eevee and Sandshrew again, who had resumed their sparring, before taking a deep breath. He looked at Jade and Ethan and gave them a determined nod. "Pika-chu pika pi, chu ka PikaPika."

"So, you'll help us out?" Ethan asked.

"Pi-ka!" Pikachu nodded again.

Ethan smiled and rubbed Pikachu's head. "Thanks, little buddy. Jade and I appreciate any help you can give."

Ethan stood and began walking back to camp. "Jade, you and Pikachu decide how to work this out. I'll be back soon, but come get me if you need something."

* * *

"Hey Brock, need help with breakfast?" Ethan quietly asked as he stepped past the still-sleeping Ash and Misty.

Brock glanced at him from in front of the fire pit laid with cherry-red hot charcoals, over which a griddle was placed. "Thanks, Ethan. You can start by making your Pokémon their food."

"Got it." Ethan reached into a compartment of his bag and grabbed some ingredients and a batch of Pokémon kibble base made by Brock and got to work.

"Brock, why did you decide to become a Pokémon Breeder?" Ethan asked, genuinely curious.

The breeder smiled as he sliced some berries. "Before I got my first Pokémon, there was an elderly couple that ran a Pokémon breeding farm and daycare on the edge of Pewter City, close to the Pokémon Center. When I wasn't busy helping my dad with the gym, I'd go play with the Pokémon and help out around the farm. Garth and LaRue taught me most of what I know about breeding."

Brock's face turned somber. "A few years ago, they had to close the farm when their health began to fail, and they had no one to pass it on to. They never had any children. Whenever I could, I visited them to keep them company and learn what they knew before they passed away last year. In a way, they were more like parents to me than my actual parents."

Ethan wiped an eye with the back of his hand. _Wow. I wasn't expecting a sob story, but it fits with wanting to be a breeder. I guess some of what I felt was coming from Brock. Gotta learn how to feel others' emotions without it affecting me._

"That's a pretty cool origin story," Ethan chuckled as he set aside Eevee's food, then picked up Jade's and Sandshrews's dishes. "Thanks for sharing."

Brock raised a brow, then chuckled along. "What about you? Do you know what you want to do? I want to be a breeder, Ash wants to be a Pokémon Master, and Misty wants to be the best water Pokémon trainer in the world. I don't think I've heard you say what you want."

Ethan paused his food prep as he thought about how to answer Brock's question. His initial thoughts turned to home, and a feeling of homesickness washed over him. If only he had a way to tell his family he was okay, then maybe being away from home wouldn't-

"Ethan? Are you alright?"

Ethan pulled himself out of the buneary hole that his thoughts dug him into. "I'm fine," he lied. "I'm not sure what I want to do yet, so I'm just doing the gym circuit for now. Maybe I can do something that could put my talent in aura to use, depending on how it develops. I'm also pretty good with tech."

"Ethan," Brock frowned, "You're not fine. I have nine younger siblings, so I have a fair amount of experience telling when someone is _not_ fine. Do you want to talk about what's wrong?"

A sigh escaped Ethan's lips. _Brock was always the most perceptive of the group, wasn't he?_

"Not now. Maybe someday."

"Alright," Brock nodded after a moment, "Whenever you want to talk, you can come to me."

"Thanks, _Doctor_ Brock," Ethan chuckled.

"Doctor Brock, huh? You know, that has a nice ring to it," Brock laughed.

The two laughed for a moment longer before a strong feeling of distress hit Ethan's senses, and he hurriedly turned in the direction he thought it came from. A moment later, Sandshrew burst from the ground.

"Shrew! Sand sandshrew, sand sand sandshrew!"

Ash and Misty stirred and sat up.

"Huh?" Ash yawned, "Wha-what's going on?"

Ethan furrowed his brows. "Something must have happened at the training ground."

"What? How do you know?" Misty asked, getting on her feet.

"Sandshrew's distressed, and she was just training with Eevee. Pikachu and Jade could be in trouble too!" Ethan turned to where he had left his Pokémon to train and ran, with Sandshrew on his heels.

Ash grabbed his pokéballs and ran after him. "I'm coming too!"

* * *

"Grr, why can't ya 'it that stupid bu'erfree, ya daft Pokémon!"

Ethan ran onto the scene of Jade casually avoiding attacks from another eevee, while Pikachu and Ethan's eevee watched worriedly from the side. Unlike Ethan's, this other eevee was thinner, its fur was unkempt and faded in some places, and a bit of its lower left ear was missing.

He couldn't help but feel pity for the poor eevee. He grew a soft spot for them ever since he met his own.

"If I dun't catch that bu'erfree, ya dun't get ta eat!"

Ethan looked at the trainer with the Cockney accent and felt his blood begin to boil. Commanding the poor eevee was Damian, the blue-haired asshole that left Charmander for dead before Ash, Misty, and Brock rescued him in the anime.

"Who's that?" asked Ash, "And why is he attacking your butterfree?"

"I'm going to find out," Ethan frowned, "Stay here."

Ethan stepped forward, still unnoticed by the despicable trainer. Eevee and Pikachu noticed and moved to their trainers' sides.

"Jade, sleep powder! Just enough to put that eevee to sleep."

Jade flew up higher, avoiding another attack from the eevee, and scattered the blue powder from her wings over her opponent. The eevee fought for a moment to stay awake but succumbed and fell asleep.

"Oi, butt out! That's my bu'erfree. I saw it first!" Damian snarled.

Ethan gave him a deadpan expression, expanded Jade's pokéball, and wordlessly returned her. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't attack my Pokémon! You should have been able to tell that my butterfree had a trainer the moment you started attacking, at _least_."

"Tch. Wha'ever. It looked funny anyways. Prob'ly has a disease," Damian said as he returned his eevee to its pokéball and began walking away.

"One more thing, you prick," Ethan growled, "If I _ever_ see another Pokémon abused like your eevee by your hands, I _will_ make you regret it."

Damian frowned, then bust out laughing. "Yeh, sure you will," he said as he walked away, still laughing.

_I can't wait 'til route 24. I gotta make plans for that._

"Eeveev? Eevee eev eevee…"

Ethan picked up and hugged Eevee, then returned to the others. "I know, Eevee. It hurts to see another eevee, or any Pokémon, abused like that eevee was."

"Abused?" Brock asked.

"Ethan, what happened? What did you say to him?" Misty asked.

"That prick thought Jade was a wild butterfree and wanted to catch her. That eevee he has looks like it's been abused," Ethan said.

"What? We gotta do something!" Ash yelled.

Ethan sighed. "We can't really do anything to help without some solid evidence. Not legally anyway."

"But…"

"That poor eevee," Misty murmured.

"Don't worry. I have a feeling we're going to run into him again. We'll do what we can to help," Ethan assured.

"Hey, Brock?" Ethan asked as they walked back to camp, "How much authority do gym leaders have policing Pokémon-related crime?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Please review, and follow the story if you haven't already. I reply to everyone who leaves a review.
> 
> Discord Code: FNh6A3e
> 
> Published: October 24, 2020
> 
> Updated: February 21, 2021, Grammar corrections, improved readability, and so on.


	9. Cerulean City

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's another chapter!

**Chapter 9**

**Cerulean City**

It was a beautiful, sunny day in northern Kanto. Puffy white clouds drifted lazily across the azure sky, the sun and gentle breeze felt good on Ethan's skin, and Eevee's soft humming was a treat to his ears.

The gang had just arrived in Cerulean City's outskirts, and Ethan had a few things he wanted to do. One of which being to find out if there was a version of the nugget bridge that existed. He wanted to get Sandshrew some battle experience and fine-tune how best to train her.

Ethan reflected on the training he had done with his Pokémon since leaving Mount Moon. Jade trained electroweb's power to the point where even the gritty Eevee yelped in pain during their training battles. Brock's suggestion to add iron to her diet was producing results.

Eevee learned double team on her own – which Ethan was happy about – and could create up to three clones without much effort. Sandshrew worked on steering her rollout attack, which Ethan confirmed _did_ gain more power if defense curl was used beforehand.

Ethan rubbed Eevee's head as he glanced at Ash. _Speaking of training…_

"Hey, Ash? Have you trained for your next gym battle? I don't think I've seen you train your Pokémon much, if at all."

Pikachu jumped down as Ash stumbled before catching himself. "O-of course I have! I've done lots of training! Right, Pikachu?"

"Pika?" Pikachu tilted his head.

"Uh-huh. I'm gonna have to call you out on that one, Ash. I've been with you almost every waking moment since Mount Moon and seen you 'train' maybe a couple of times outside of battles with passing trainers and locals."

"Oh yeah? I haven't seen you train!"

"Ethan's trained a lot, Ash," Brock interjected, "He and his Pokémon train early every morning before you and Misty wake up. Not to mention the weighted vests during the day and his evening training sessions. Pikachu's even watched them a few times. I wouldn't be surprised if Pikachu's learned a thing or two by watching Ethan's Pokémon."

"Thanks, Brock," Ethan nodded. "Ash, you're welcome to train with me if you want. I know moves you can teach your Pokémon that you won't find in the pokédex."

"I don't need help. I can train on my own!"

"Well, I tried," Ethan shrugged as he shared a piece of dried pecha berry with Eevee.

"Have either of you seen Misty?" Brock asked.

Ethan glanced behind him and saw a hint of red disappear through an alley in the suburban neighborhood they had entered.

"I didn't notice that she left," Ethan said as he sucked on his half of the shared treat. "Ash, you challenging the gym leader today?"

"Yeah, and I'm going to beat him!" Ash declared as he raised a fist in the air.

"I'm sure you will," Ethan chuckled. "Well, I'll see you at the gym later then. I have a few errands to run while we're here. Eevee, free ride's over. Run with me."

Eevee swallowed her treat, hopped down without a complaint, and ran with Ethan as he pursued the missing redhead.

Ash looked confused as he turned to Brock. "What was funny?"

"I don't know, Ash," Brock shrugged.

* * *

Ethan followed Eevee along a cobblestone path as she tracked Misty's scent. Truthfully, he knew exactly when Misty had snuck away. Growing up, he could always get away from people without being noticed, so knowing when someone disappeared was almost second-nature to him, or so he liked to think. His developing empathic abilities only further enhanced that skill.

_So we've now begun the episode that Ash challenges the Cerulean gym. I'm sure it'll be at least a few hours until his battle starts. I should be able to find an optometrist during that time, right?_

Even though his eyesight became a little better when Mew made him younger, he still had trouble gleaning small details on far away objects. Thus, he made it a priority to get some new glasses.

 _Maybe I should get a pair of prescription shades too,_ Ethan thought.

"Eeveev," Eevee called as she led Ethan off the path and into a park filled with trees and the occasional local and their Pokémon.

After another few minutes, Ethan spotted Misty sitting at the edge of a large pond, hugging her legs against her chest as she absently watched some magikarp and poliwag swim by. Her drawstring bag lay in the neatly trimmed grass by her side, forgotten.

_Her… I guess I should just call it aura. Her aura feels withdrawn and… stressed? No, anxious._

"Hey, Eevee," Ethan whispered, "Would you mind letting Misty hold you? She could use some comfort right about now."

"Vee!" Eevee smiled. She loved being held, so she had no reservations when she dashed up to Misty and wriggled into her arms.

"Eevee? What are you doing here?" Misty asked, surprised.

"We _could_ ask you the same thing, though I think I know why you're here," Ethan said as he sat in the grass next to Misty and set his bag near hers. "You _really_ didn't want to come home. Sister problems?"

Misty groaned and hugged Eevee closer. "Yeah. The last time I left, I said I wouldn't come back until I became a great water Pokémon trainer. If I go back to the gym, they're going to tease me relentlessly!"

"Well, of course they will. Remember what I said before? That's what siblings do," Ethan laughed. "But remember what else I said? Even though they tease you, they love you. They won't care if you visit before you become the trainer you want to be. Perhaps teasing is a way they show their love and affection for you."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Doesn't mean I like it," Misty sighed into Eevee's furry mane.

Ethan stared at the backs of his gloved hands in thought before looking back at Misty. "If you want, I'd be happy to help you become the great water Pokémon trainer you want to be. What all does that involve? Catching and training water Pokémon and learning everything you can about them?"

Misty's eyes lit up at Ethan's offer. "It's so much more, but that's the basics of it."

"I'll have to add a fishing rod to the list of things I need to get," Ethan noted. "Would you mind showing me around the city? I have some things I need to get done before I watch Ash's gym battle."

"Sure! He'll be waiting for a while. My sisters put on a show every weekend, and it won't end until this afternoon, so we have time," Misty informed as she and Ethan stood and shouldered their bags.

"Is it the weekend?" Ethan checked his watch. "Whaddya know, today's a Saturday."

Misty giggled along with Eevee, who was still in her arms. "That's right! So, where do you want to go first?"

* * *

Over the next few hours, Misty showed Ethan and Eevee around the city, which was built around a large harbor that opened to the sea to the east. Ethan was able to get the important things done that he needed to. When he asked around about the nugget bridge, an older couple kindly informed him that the nugget bridge challenge hadn't been around for several years since it was exposed as a recruitment front for Team Rocket.

 _Oh well_ , he had thought, _I'll figure something else out for Sandshrew._

Ethan tapped the cheap disposable shades he was wearing. "I forgot that optometrists like to dilate your eyes when you go in for an exam. I think I'll put off my gym challenge 'til tomorrow or Monday."

"That's too bad. At least Eevee can't get enough of your eyes," Misty smiled.

Ethan looked at Eevee, who was now in his arms, and lifted his shades, causing another fit of giggles to rack her body.

"She thinks it's the most amusing thing that my eyes are as big as hers now," Ethan laughed as he put the shades back in place, then rubbed his head. "I'm going to get a migraine if I keep doing that."

Misty laughed before turning somber. "Looking at how happy Eevee is, I can't help but feel bad for that poor eevee that that blue-haired jerk of a trainer has."

Eevee's ears drooped, and Ethan went silent for a moment before speaking up. "I know we're going to see them again, I just don't know when. I'm coming up with a plan, but it's still in the works. If that was the state his eevee was in..."

"Do you think he treats his other Pokémon the same?"

"I wouldn't doubt it," Ethan said. "Let's stop talking about him for now, though. It's making us all upset."

"Okay," Misty nodded. "Well, um, we have one more stop, right?"

"Yep! We're looking for Pokém's, a Pokémon whole foods place. I gotta have the best for my girls. It should be right about… here," Ethan said as he stopped and looked at the shop in front of him.

According to the guidebook, this was a well-known chain that had pretty much everything for a Pokémon's dietary needs. It seemed like it was a slow time of day, as only a couple of customers were inside.

"Hey, isn't that Brock?"

Ethan squinted to try and focus on one of the human-shaped blobs more clearly. "I don't know. My eyes are still dilated. Let's go inside."

Misty checked a nearby street clock and noticed the time. "I should head to the gym, actually. My sisters' show should have just ended, and I want to make sure they're taking care of the place."

"Okay, I'll meet you and Ash there in a bit then. I'll see if I can drag Brock along."

"See ya!" Misty waved, then exhaled before hurrying to the gym.

"She'll be fine," Ethan said while petting Eevee between her ears before placing her on his shoulder.

A bell jingled as Ethan opened the shop door and entered before letting it shut behind him. Eevee sniffed the air and began wagging her tail a little more fervently.

"Welcome, welcome!" a taller man greeted, "How can I help you?"

"Just browsing for the moment," Ethan replied.

"Alrighty then! Ring the bell at the desk if you need anything," he said before walking to the back.

"Ethan? What are you doing here?"

"Hey, Brock!" Ethan greeted, recognizing his voice. "Probably the same reason you're here. Gotta have the best for our Pokémon, right?"

"Right! There's an extensive selection here, but I don't know what to get. Whole foods are more nutritious, but they spoil faster because they don't have preservatives."

"That _is_ a problem," Ethan pondered. "Too bad we can't take a fridge with us."

Brock chuckled. "No, we can't. But I just remembered something. Your said your bag is made by the Devon Corporation, right?"

"Yeah. Why do you ask?"

"My backpack is similar, but it's made by the Silph Company. They have the same technology as pokéballs; they can store tons of items, but your bag can also put things in stasis. If you carried our perishable items, they would last a lot longer."

Ethan thought that over and smacked his forehead. "Of course! How didn't I notice that the food I've had for a while is still good?"

"It's easy to overlook things when nothing seems to be wrong," Brock said.

"That's deep, man."

"Well, Ash said some pretty deep stuff earlier, and I guess it rubbed off on me," Brock laughed.

"Eeveev!"

Ethan looked to find Eevee had jumped down at some point during the conversation. He found her next to a shelf, sniffing a small paper bag of something.

"Eevee's got the right idea. Let's get everything we need, then head to the gym. You don't want to miss Ash's match against the _sensational sisters_ , do you?"

"The sensational sisters are the gym leaders now?! You don't have to tell me twice! Let's hurry," Brock exclaimed, running from aisle to aisle and filling his basket with everything they needed.

 _I knew that would work_. Ethan smirked as he picked up the bag Eevee had pawed and examined it. _Verdammt! Still blurry._

* * *

As the gym came into view, Ethan was surprised to find that it looked different than he remembered. Instead of resembling a rounded circus tent with a dewgong sign, the entire roof was made of glass, framed with metal, and the building was huge.

 _Wait, isn't this how the gym looked in that one episode of the Sun and Moon anime?_ Ethan recalled, confused. _I guess not everything in this world will look exactly as I remembered._

"Something wrong?" Brock asked.

"Hm? Oh, no. Just taking in how big the gym is."

"I… suppose it is larger than the Pewter gym," Brock acquiesced.

Ethan nodded before frowning and creasing his brows. "Why don't you go inside and save us some seats, Brock. I want to do a lap around the building."

"You sure you'll be fine?"

"I'm not blind, Brock. Well, not completely. I'll be fine."

"Alright. See you in a bit," Brock chuckled as he walked through the automatic doors of the gym.

When Ethan was sure Brock was inside, he turned left and began walking. "Hey Eevee, ready to mess with some bad guys again?"

"Eevee? Eev eev eevee!" Eevee cheered.

Ethan put a finger to her lips. "We gotta be quiet, though," he whispered, "We don't want them to know we're coming."

Eevee silently nodded as Ethan used his sixth sense to determine which general direction the aura of ill intent came from a moment before. _I think it came from this side of the gym_ , he decided.

As he passed the corner of the building, Eevee gently batted his face, then pointed to the right. Ethan followed the direction of her paw and hid behind a nearby bench when he saw what he was expecting to find. The unmistakable forms of the Team Rocket trio were crouched near the gym wall, using some kind of device to listen in on whatever was going on inside.

 _They're distracted. I think I could take them on, but I don't want to risk it,_ Ethan mulled, trying to come up with an idea. _Wait, maybe I could sabotage their machine! They stole a giant vacuum cleaner or something like that in this episode, right? Where is it?_

Ethan tiptoed from his spot, a nearby fountain masking the sound of his movements as he gave the trio a wide berth while he scanned his surroundings. _It's gotta be nearby. They wouldn't have left it too far away._

Eevee jumped down from his shoulder and walked to the line of foliage that surrounded the gym property before hopping over. Ethan, guessing she found something, followed her.

"Good job, Eevee," he praised, "This is what I was looking for." The giant vacuum had been hidden beyond the treeline, and Ethan's temporarily impaired vision hadn't been able to spot it.

Ethan adjusted his shades and reached into his bag, pulled out his multi-tool, and climbed onto the machine's deck, looking for some kind of console or hatch he could access. "Eevee, keep watch, and let me know if Team Rocket's coming."

"Eev vee!" Eevee saluted before moving to where she could keep an eye on Jessie, James, and Meowth.

 _She's too cute,_ Ethan smiled. _Okay, I'm not seeing the kind of console I'm looking for, so I'll have to mess with the internals. Don't Team Rocket's machines have a tendency to explode? I wonder if they added a self-destruct mechanism._

Ethan looked around more before his foot pushed down on a hatch, revealing a way inside. _Wait, this thing has to move somehow. Maybe there are more controls below deck._

Looking around once more, he hopped down into the cramped space and brought out his flashlight. He saw a driver's seat with a console that showed an image of the area surrounding the machine.

"This looks promising," he said as he saw a big red button that said 'DO NOT TOUCH' in large letters. "Do villains always have big red buttons?"

He hesitated. Would it be right to rig this machine to explode? "They survived an enclosed self-destruct from Koffing and walked it off. They'll be alright."

With that decision made, Ethan got to work. He opened a hatch with his multi-tool to expose the inner wirings. After figuring out which ones he needed to work with, he cut two wires connected to the button and connected them to the ignition; one wrapped around an input wire, and the other around an output wire, being careful during the entire process to not complete the circuit.

"It's a sloppy job, but I think that's how it works," he said to himself as he cleaned up and replaced the hatch.

Ethan finished packing, pulled himself onto the deck, then jumped to the grass below. "Eevee, time to go!"

Eevee came running from the treeline and hopped up to her usual position on his shoulder. After making sure Team Rocket was still distracted, Ethan left his cover and took a different route back to the gym entrance.

"Good job, Eevee! Team Rocket's in for an _explosive_ surprise," Ethan said with a grin as he scratched her favorite spot behind her ears.

"Ee veevee, Eeveev!" Eevee licked his cheek and matched his grin with one of her own as they entered through the gym's automatic doors.

* * *

Ethan found a directory map of the Cerulean gym and studied it, trying to find his destination. _It's hard to read, but this big area looks like it could be the gym._

"So, Eevee. Think Ash will win his gym battle?" Ethan asked.

Eevee looked thoughtful for a moment before shrugging. "Eevee eev, eev vee?"

"I don't know. Ash's battle was interrupted by Team Rocket in the original timeline, and he was given the badge out of pity. Now that Team Rocket's taken care of, I'm curious to see how he'll do."

Ethan and Eevee stopped in front of the doors that led into the gym. "Time to stop talking about Team Rocket. They're probably still listening in to what's going on in the gym arena."

Eevee nodded, and Ethan pushed the doors open and entered. Despite the gym's exterior looking like it did in the Sun and Moon anime, the battlefield kept the season one design with the rectangular pool and the floating platforms.

Ethan spotted Brock sitting relatively close to who he assumed was Misty's sisters; Daisy, Lily, and Violet. Ash and Misty seemed to be having an intense staredown as they stood on their respective platforms.

Misty broke the silence. "I wasn't planning on battling you until you paid me back for my bike, but this is as good a time as any!"

Ethan raised a brow as he made his way to Brock. _I either have perfect timing, or I'm in a poorly written fanfic._

"If you want that Cascade badge, you're gonna have to beat me!" Misty continued.

"It'll be my pleasure!" Ash said, excited and determined, before whispering something to Pikachu, who looked less than thrilled.

"Did I miss anything?" Ethan asked as he took a seat next to Brock.

"Not really," Brock greeted. "How was your walk?"

Ethan took off his bag and set it next to his feet, and Eevee jumped down to his unoccupied lap. "It was nice. There's a lot of water decor out there."

"Makes sense. This _is_ a water-type gym," Brock agreed.

"Pikachu, I choose you!"

Ethan stifled a chuckle at the sight of Ash trying to throw Pikachu out to the battlefield like a pokéball while Pikachu clung desperately to his fingers.

"Chuuu!" Pikachu whined as he hopped back to the ground.

"Pikachu, what are you doing?!"

Pikachu looked down for a moment, then looked at Ethan and Eevee.

"Pikachu? What's wrong?" Ash asked, concerned.

Ethan met Pikachu's eyes through his disposable shades and nodded.

Pikachu frowned in determination and jumped to a platform on the field, ready and willing to battle.

Ash grabbed the brim of his cap and moved it to the back of his head. "Alright, Pikachu! Let's do this!"

"Wow, Pikachu's actually battling," Ethan muttered.

"Pikachu's a great choice. He has the type advantage," Brock replied. "By the way, Ethan, did you know Misty was a gym leader? You don't seem surprised that Ash is battling her."

"Oh, yeah. I've known for a while that Misty's family runs the Cerulean gym. She knows that I know too. My training for the past couple of weeks has been focused on preparing for my battle here."

"Good thing Jade got that move down then. It's called electroweb, right?"

Misty sent out Staryu, and the battle began with a barrage of water guns against Pikachu, who couldn't move much on the limited amount of land. He took a few hits and was knocked into the water.

"Yeah. It's a good coverage move for Jade, and I see a lot of applications for it. She's gotten really good at using string shot too, since it's kind of a base for electroweb."

"Pikachu," Ash yelled, "Try a thunderbolt!"

Pikachu climbed back onto the platform and shook his fur dry. His red cheeks then sparked, and the smell of ozone filled the air when he unleashed a streak of lightning from his small body, striking Staryu's core as it was coming in for a rapid spin attack.

"Woah! It still surprises me seeing how much power can come from a small Pokémon," Ethan remarked while running his fingers through Eevee's mane.

"I know what you mean," Brock agreed. "It looks like Staryu's down, but Pikachu looks pretty wiped out too."

True to his words, Pikachu sported several bruises and was panting heavily. Still, he seemed pleased to have won against his opponent.

"Must have scored a critical hit. Hey Brock, aren't official league battles supposed to have judges?" Ethan asked.

"They are, but for challenges from novice and beginning trainers, it's not required," Brock explained.

"Wow, Misty is actually doing pretty well. She, like, almost took out Pikachu," Daisy commented.

"Well, we three got the good looks in the family, so I guess she had to get _something_ ," Lily said.

Ethan mentally groaned. _I forgot they have valley girl accents_ , he thought. There was no reason it bothered him. It was just one of those things grated on his ears.

He took a calming breath before returning his focus to the battle.

"You're doing great, Pikachu!" Ash praised his starter as Pikachu rejoined him on his platform. "Think you can keep going?"

Pikachu looked like he was about to agree before tiredly sitting on the spot. "Chaaa…."

Ash looked at his starter in concern. "You alright, buddy?" he asked, to which he got a nod.

"Ash, Pikachu's exhausted. Let one of your other Pokémon battle," Brock yelled from the stands.

"Uh, okay," Ash replied.

"Hurry up, Ash! We don't have all day!" Misty yelled impatiently, having already sent out her starmie.

"Fine! Butterfree, I choose you!" he called as he threw the pokéball.

Misty shivered before shaking her head and refocusing. "About time! Starmie, rapid spin!"

"Dodge it!"

Starmie cut through the air like a shuriken and sped towards Butterfree, who flew out of the way. Starmie came in for a few more attempts before landing back on its platform.

"My turn! Butterfree, stun spore!"

Butterfree rapidly flapped his wings a few times before gliding over and covering the area with a cloud of spores, causing Starmie to seize up.

"Wash it off!"

The starfish Pokémon teetered over the edge of the platform before allowing itself to fall into the water. After sinking for a few moments, it launched itself out of the water and onto the platform, with no signs of paralysis.

"Ha, bet you didn't know about Starmie's ability! It can get rid of status effects by washing itself with water or when it's returned to its pokéball," Misty gloated.

 _Oh, what was that ability called?_ Ethan wondered, _Natural Cure? I thought it only removed status effects when returned to its pokéball. I guess wild Pokémon with that ability don't have pokéballs to trigger it, so it makes sense that there's another way to activate it._

Ash ground his teeth before calling his next command. "Butterfree, time for your new move. Use-"

A loud explosion from outside rocked the building, causing the battlefield's water to slosh around and cause those not already sitting down to lose their balance. To Ethan and Eevee, it was music to their ears when they heard the distant "Team Rocket's blasting off again!" cry from the Team Rocket trio.

"What the hell was that?!" Violet asked.

"Hey, language! There are kids here," Ethan scolded, trying and mostly succeeding in keeping a straight face. "Besides, it's not our problem, so don't worry about it."

Brock raised a questioning brow. "What did you do on your walk?"

Ethan's face cracked as he leaned closer to Brock. "Smelled the roses, made a wish at the fountain, foiled Team Rocket's plan to steal the gym Pokémon. You know, the usual."

Brock sighed and shook his head.

"Hey, the battle's not over yet!" Ethan yelled to Ash and Misty, who were back on their feet.

"Right! Butterfree, use confusion!"

 _Wait. What, when, and how?!_ Ethan choked. _Butterfree never knew confusion! Or if he did, he never used it._

Butterfree focused his energy – struggling to do so, which told Ethan it wasn't practiced much – and grabbed Starmie in his psychic grip. He then levitated Starmie up into the air, who was trying to shake itself free of its imprisonment.

Brock nodded. "This is actually a smart move from Ash, whether he realizes it or not. Being submerged or surrounded by water increases the potency of water-type moves. Removing Starmie from the water should put this matchup in his favor."

"I… that actually makes sense," Ethan realized. "I was thinking only terrain-altering moves boosted certain types of attacks, but it makes sense that the environment already in place could have an effect."

"Starmie, use bubblebeam!"

"Whirlwind!"

Butterfree released his grip as the bubbles sped towards him, and a low buzz filled the room as he flapped his chitinous wings. Winds stirred, blowing the bubbles back to their sender, and inflicting minor damage to Starmie as it was violently carried through the air before coming to a sudden halt with a concrete wall.

Ethan and Brock winced at the noise as a crack appeared in its gem-like core. That _had_ to hurt.

"Oh no, Starmie!" Misty gasped, jumping off her platform and onto the floor before running to Starmie's side.

"I think that's the match," Ethan said as Brock stood to go check on Starmie.

Ethan made his way down to the pool, where Ash was celebrating his victory with Pikachu and Butterfree. Eevee padded along behind him.

 _What changed to make Butterfree learn confusion?_ Ethan pondered. _Preventing Butterfree's early evolution that day in the Viridian Forest? I know I've seen him and Jade talk when they're both out of their Pokéballs. Maybe Jade's given him tips?_

Ethan then looked at Ash. _Maybe Ash actually is training his Pokémon, at least a little bit. Otherwise, he wouldn't have known that Butterfree knew confusion in the first place._

"Alright, I won, I won!" Ash cheered as he jumped up and down.

"Hey Ash, the correct phrasing is 'we' won. Your win was a joint effort between you and your Pokémon. It'd be rude to not include your Pokémon in your little victory dance," Ethan chuckled.

Ash stopped and faced Ethan. "It's _not_ a victory dance. I'm just excited that I – _we_ won."

Eevee talked with Pikachu for a moment as she gestured to her back. Pikachu considered it before deciding he was too tired to care and climbed aboard for a free ride. Eevee looked like she barely even felt his weight.

"Eevee's a few steps ahead of us. I think we should get your and Misty's Pokémon to a center. Go collect your badge and do your victory pose so we can leave," Ethan said.

"Oh, right! The badge!" Ash realized. "What about you? Aren't you going to have your battle?"

Ethan tapped the sides of his disposable shades. "I'm confident I _could_ win right now, but I'm working with a handicap at the moment, and I want to be at 100% for my battle. I understand that all of the gym Pokémon are currently being treated at the Pokémon Center. I'm going to have to set an appointment and battle either tomorrow or the next day."

"Like, the gym's closed Sundays, but I can handle your battle on Monday," Daisy said, apparently having been close enough to listen in.

_Nails on a chalkboard._

"Would Monday morning work?" Ethan asked. "I'm pretty sure we want to leave for Vermilion at noon that day."

Daisy giggled. "Confident, huh? Okay, cutie, Monday morning it is."

* * *

The walk to the Pokémon Center was filled primarily with Ethan thinking how adorable it was seeing Eevee carrying a sleeping Pikachu on her back. The mouse was _really_ tired, and Eevee didn't seem to mind the weight.

The other, less adorable thing was Ash admiring and talking on and on about his newest badge.

"Okay, we get it, Ash! Shiny badge, you beat Misty in a battle, blah blah blah," Ethan snapped.

"Hah! You're just jealous that I have one, and you don't!" He boasted.

Brock and Misty groaned behind them.

"First, I don't care that I don't have the badge yet. That'll come soon enough," Ethan dismissed. "Second, having more badges doesn't mean you're a more skilled trainer than I am. Don't look at me like that. I'm a budding empath now, remember? You feel like you're on top of the world and that no one can beat you.

"Let me tell you something you should learn sooner than later, Ash. You should _never_ compare yourself to other trainers. It'll only hinder your progress as a trainer and as a person. The only person you should be comparing yourself to is… well, the trainer you were yesterday. You'll become a better trainer much faster if you resolve to do better than you did the previous day, every day."

Brock whistled. "Today's just the day for saying deep things, and Ethan took the cake with that one."

Whatever meaning Ethan's words were supposed to have seemed to go right over Ash's head. "Whatever. I won the Cascade badge!"

… _Ash may very well have some degree of ADHD_ , Ethan realized. _That makes so much sense!_

* * *

The next day passed quickly. Ethan used it as a rest day to plan and finish preparing for the battle ahead. He didn't want to be caught off guard if his gym battle turned out to be more challenging than he expected. It wouldn't do to underestimate anyone.

Ash was antsy to leave and get to the next gym but was talked down by Brock. "Ash," Brock had said, "We need to make sure we're rested and ready for the next stretch of our journey. Besides, we should watch Ethan's battle. I haven't seen him battle seriously yet, and I'm curious to see how he performs in the gym."

On the morning of the battle, Ethan picked up his new prescriptions before meeting Ash, Brock, and Misty back at the Pokémon Center and heading to the gym.

"I'm amazed that these are already done. I thought I would have to have them shipped to the next Pokémon Center," Ethan said. "Everything looks so much clearer now."

"Why do you need glasses?" Ash asked, "I thought you could see fine before."

Ethan batted a curious Eevee's paw away from the hard black plastic-frame before answering. "It's because I'm near-sighted. I can see things up close just fine, but the farther away something is, the fewer details I can see."

"I didn't think glasses would suit you, but they look natural," Misty complimented.

"Thank you. Honestly, I felt kind of naked without them. I wish I hadn't lost my last pair."

 _I'll bet Mew kept them,_ Ethan thought. _Damn it, Mew!_

He imagined Mew giggling before he shook his head and addressed Brock. "Are we ready to leave right after my battle?"

"Yep! Our bags are packed, and we've checked out of the Pokémon Center. We have enough supplies to last at least a few weeks," Brock confirmed.

"And there'll be a few places on the way to Vermilion where we can restock if need be," Ethan nodded, "Sounds like we're set."

"Let's get to the gym already! The sooner you finish, the sooner we can get to the next gym," Ash complained.

"Aww, don't be like that, Ash," Ethan said, "You love Pokémon battles, and I'm sure you'll enjoy watching my battle. I just hope I'll get a good challenge from Daisy."

"Huh? What's Daisy got to do with this?" Ash asked, confused.

"What? No, not Daisy Oak. Misty's sister, Daisy Waterflower," Ethan clarified.

"Oh, right," Ash sheepishly chuckled.

Misty sighed at Ash's antics. "Even though my sisters aren't serious battlers, they're still gym leaders. I wouldn't underestimate them."

"Don't worry about that. I'm not about to pull an Ash," Ethan chuckled as they entered through the automatic doors of the gym.

Ethan could feel the confusion from his traveling companions, and he reviewed what he said.

_Oh, crap. Ash didn't show any seriously arrogant overconfidence until he battled AJ._

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ash asked while folding his arms.

Ethan just smiled, covering up his initial panic. "You'll see soon enough," he said.

* * *

Ethan stood on his floating platform on the pool opposite of Daisy, bending his knees to help keep his balance. Daisy, on the other hand, seemed to be having no such issue.

"Okay, cutie! We'll use two Pokémon each, and only you will be allowed to substitute Pokémon," Daisy called.

"You know I'm only twelve, right?, Ethan asked, "Though I do turn thirteen in a few weeks."

"Oh well," she shrugged, "Wooper, sweetie! It's your turn!"

Wooper materialized and splashed into the water before coming back up with only its head above the surface. It- _he_ had a dopey smile that Ethan couldn't help but grin back at. _Two gill branches, so it's a male._

_Battle of the blondies time. Wooper's immune to electric-type attacks and Jade's still figuring out energy ball. Time to set the stage._

Ethan enlarged a Pokéball and tossed it. "Jade, you're up!"

"Like, wow! Your butterfree's so pretty!" Daisy gushed after Jade materialized.

Ethan chuckled as Jade did a twirl in the air. "We get that a lot, but it's always true."

"As the challenger, you have the first move," Daisy said.

"Alright, then. Jade, time to set the field. String shot!"

"Like that's going to hit. Wooper, underwater!"

Wooper dove underwater as Jade spat the silk from her mouth. The silk, however, went wide and hit the wall off the side of the pool. Jade continued to spit the silk, aiming nowhere near her opponent.

"What's Ethan doing? Jade's not even hitting that Pokémon!" Ash said as he put his pokédex away, disappointed that it couldn't identify the Pokémon Daisy was battling with.

"First off, Ash, that's a wooper. It's a water-type Pokémon from the Johto region," Misty informed him. "Second, I have no idea what he's up to."

"Pika pika?"

Brock crossed his arms and studied the battlefield. "I'm not sure either, but Ethan seems confident. Do you see how Jade is only hitting the floor and walls around the pool with her string shot? This is planned."

"It still doesn't tell me what he's doing," Ash said, now getting more curious.

"We'll just have to wait and see," Misty concluded.

Ethan raised Jade's pokéball and returned her before nodding to Eevee, who jumped out onto another floating platform.

"Like, what was the point of that? All you've done is made cleanup harder," Daisy complained.

"You'll see," Ethan replied.

"Whatever. That string won't stop us! Wooper, use slam!"

"Eevee, you know what to do."

Eevee grinned and nodded. Wooper jumped high out of the water and spun, preparing to slam Eevee with his tail. As gravity carried him down, his tail caught on a few thick threads of silk, slowing its descent before shooting him straight back up.

"What? No way!" Daisy gasped.

Eevee jumped onto another thick thread and used it as a trampoline to launch herself straight at Wooper. As she got close, her tail glowed and took on a silvery sheen. She swung around and used the momentum of her flight to slam the iron tail straight on the crown of Wooper's head, sending him flying into the poliwag design on the wall.

Ethan winced as Wooper made impact before it fell to the ground, knocked out with that dopey smile still on its face.

"Uhh, is Wooper okay?" Ethan asked.

"As long as he's still smiling, he's fine," Daisy assured. "I'm surprised. I wasn't expecting that."

Ethan scratched Eevee between her ears as she sat down by his side. "I don't think anyone was. I wasn't sure if it would work, but the tensile strength of Jade's string shot is pretty good."

Daisy sighed. "I don't think I can, like, give you a good match. So, I forfeit."

Ethan's stood straight up, nearly losing his balance, and his eyebrows shot up in surprise. "What?! You can do that?"

"Eevee?!"

"It's ultimately a gym leader's decision who they give their badges to, and you are more than a match for me."

Ethan stood there in shock. "But-but-but I had so much planned for this match! Jade's gonna be so disappointed… What was your second Pokémon going to be?"

Daisy pulled out a Pokéball and opened it. Eevee's ears perked, and she barked and bounced on the spot.

"I was going to use Vaporeon here. He's more used to battling than Wooper, but not much. He's a maintenance Pokémon trained to help keep the aquarium and pipes running between the exhibits clean."

 _I had a feeling I wasn't going to get a good challenge no matter who I battled here,_ Ethan groaned. _Misty's a beginner water Pokémon trainer, and her sisters are total flakes._

* * *

Ethan stared at the Cascade badge in his hand with drooped shoulders as he trailed the others outside of the gym. His victory felt hollow.

Eevee spent some time with Daisy's Vaporeon, and he could tell Eevee asked lots of questions. Vaporeon even showed off some of what it could do, including its acid armor ability which frightened Eevee. That got a chuckle out of Ethan and Vaporeon when it reformed from the puddle it had melted into. If Ethan had to guess, Eevee was interviewing for her potential evolutions.

"That was an awesome battle, Ethan!" Ash said, breaking him out of his contemplative state.

"I don't know. Eevee and Jade did well, but I was hoping for something more challenging… and longer."

"Ethan," Brock said, "Are you still thinking you don't deserve that badge?"

Ethan sighed. "I don't think I do, Brock! I won by forfeit, which doesn't feel like a win to me."

Brock shook his head. "You won by forfeit _after_ you knocked out Wooper. You showed incredible foresight by setting up the battlefield with Jade's string shot, then having Eevee utilize that. You're a skilled trainer, and you outclassed Daisy by a long shot."

"I don't know…"

Misty's temper flared. "Oh, give me that!" she yelled as she snatched the badge out of Ethan's hand. "If you want to feel like you deserve it, I'll train up as hard as I can, then give you the official gym battle you want when I'm ready!"

Ethan blinked, then smiled. "You have a way with words, Mist. Thanks."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm anticipating that this will be the last chapter I'll post in 2020. I want to use the rest of the year to decompress and spend the holidays with family, and perhaps get ahead with writing.
> 
> Discord Code: FNh6A3e
> 
> Published: November 24, 2020
> 
> Updated: February 21, 2021, Grammar corrections, improved readability, and so on.


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